The Thief and the Swordsfrog
by Silent Elegy
Summary: Frog, a young thief, and the new leader of the Mystics must save Guardia from the King of Thieves.
1. Chapter One

ch1

Frog awoke slowly in a darkened room and tried to remember what had happened.He'd been walking back to his home in the Cursed Forest, when he'd heard a rustling sound in the bushes to his left.He hadn't though much of it since plenty of strange creatures live in the forest, but this time, three very large goblins had burst from the bushes and knocked him out before he could react.The back of his head was still very sore.

As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he saw that the room he was in was not very big.A little light came under the door to the room, but not much.There were no windows at all.

The light coming from the door suddenly disappeared."Psst!"Frog blinked and walked to the door."Psst!Hey, is anyone there?"The voice seemed rather high-pitched and scratchy, but that could have been because the voice was whispering.

"Aye," he replied."I am within.Who art thou?"

"Wha-?Oh never mind."The person stepped away from the door, then stepped back.Frog could hear clicking and scratching sounds from the other side."So wha'cher name?" asked the person.

"I am called Frog.What art thou doing?"

"You talk weird.I'm picking the lock."As an afterthought, the voice added, "Name's Rat."

"Why do they call thee 'Rat'?"

The door made a final click and swung open.Frog blinked in the light."Same reason they calls you Frog apparently."Rat was, for lack of a better word, a rat.He stood three feet tall, making him eye-level with Frog.His clothing was torn and battered, the sleeves of his white shirt and the hem of his brown pants completely ripped off.He wore a silver armband which wrapped snake-like around his upper left arm, and a leather bracelet on the wrist of his right.His fur was a mottled brown and grey, and his pink tail appeared to have been cut off at the tip.He wore two knives at his waist.

"So, like, wha'cha doin' here?" he asked, putting his lock picks in some hidden pocket of his shirt.

"I was brought here," Frog answered."What of thee?"

Rat's whiskers came forward and his ears went back."Man, you talk funny.Anywho, I'm here to rob the joint.But they ain't got no loot."He looked around disdainfully."Dang, man, joint's empty, I tell ya.Anywho, I saw the big guys throw ya in here, and I been waiting for 'em to leave.So let's blow this joint."

He twitched his whiskers, smelling the air, and started off, motioning Frog to follow."Wait," Frog said."Mine weapon.We must find it."

"'Sit a sword?Dang expensive lookin' gold hilt?'Bout as big as me?" Rat asked.

"Aye!Tis Masamune.Hast thou seen it?"

"Shoot!You c'n actually use that thing?Weeeell, maybe I seen it, maybe not," Rat replied slyly."What's it worth to ya?"

"Tis mine!Return it to me!"

"I may if ya make it worth my while."

Frog clenched his hands into fists."Masamune was repaired and given to me by very good friends of mine.Return it to me now!"

"Dang, calm down, Frogman.As it so happens, I ain't got it.But I know where it is.I was gonna come back for it, but…"Rat shrugged."This way."He led to a room resembling an armory.There, on a table across from them, was Masamune.

Frog hopped onto the table, it being slightly above his head, and buckled the sword belt around his waist while Rat kept watch by the door."I thank thee, sir Rat," Frog said.

"Dang, man, you talk weird."Rat shook his head and began leading the way out of dungeon again."What izzat anyway?"

"Tis the way I speak," Frog said affronted."Dost thou speak any better?"

"Hey, at least people c'n understand me," Rat laughed.Frog opened his mouth to reply, but shut it again, remembering where they were.

A short time later, Rat said, "Hey, Frogman, listen I like you.You're kinna cool guy.For a frog.But I just feel ya should know something."

"What would that be then?"

"I ain't no sir."

Frog stopped and blinked."Thou'rt a lady then?"

Rat laughed."Well, I ain't no lady either, but yah, I'm of the female persuasion."Rat pushed her whiskers forward and her ears back in what Frog realized was her approximation of a grin.

"Forgive me, madame," he said.

"Aw, cut the madame stuff, too.I'm just Rat.Yer common, ever'day street trash.A'right?"

"Very well, then.Rat."

"Sweet.Now, shall we, Frogman?"

They continued in silence, alert to the sound of approaching enemies.As time wore on, and they didn't encounter any, Frog grew very uneasy.

He looked around and said quietly, "Why are there no guards?Tisn't right."

"You's tellin' me…This place is deader'n the Northern Ruins."Rat scented the air."I don't smell nothing, and I don't like it."

They continued on for a while longer until Frog stopped."Doth thou hear that?"

Rat cocked her head."No, I don't hear nothing.Except…"They exchanged glances and started running for dear life, as the rumbling sound grew louder.Huge chunks of rock from the ceiling dropped in their path, but they kept running.

All Frog could hear was the falling rock and the pounding of his own heart.His legs were burning; he'd never moved so fast in his life.Ahead of him, he saw Rat, running on four legs, jump onto a rock and then over it.Frog tried to go around, but part of the ceiling fell on his legs, trapping him.He cried out.

Rat heard him, but intended to keep running.Something stopped her, though.She looked back, undecided.

"Go on!" Frog yelled.Rat ran a few steps more, then turned and charged straight for Frog, hitting the boulder with enough force to move it slightly.Frog pulled himself free and limped a few more steps until he felt his feet knocked out from under him and found himself sitting on Rat's back.

"Hang on!" Rat told him.He grabbed the back of Rat's shirt as she started running again, slower since Frog was on top of her, but still fast enough to let them escape.She dodged another boulder, then daylight was ahead of them.Pulling on reserves she didn't know she had, she launched out the hole in the wall and hit the ground rolling.Frog jumped away at the last second and went in a different direction.

Both of them lay panting for a second, listening to the rumble die away.Finally, Rat stood and shook herself."Well, that was fun.Gots to do it again some time."

Frog stood more painfully.He knew his foot wasn't broken, but it was swelling fiercely."Oh aye.Fun," he said dryly.

Rat laughed."It was certainly an adventure.I been getting bored.Nice meeting ya, Frogman."

"And thee, Lady Rat."He bowed as best as his hurt leg would let him.Rat grinned and returned the gestured, then walked away without a second glance.

"Why do I smell a wet rat in here?" yelled the barkeep at the Broken Knife.He was a good-natured man who enjoyed teasing Rat.

Rat, who enjoyed returning the favor, replied, "It's prolly the beer, old man."

"How dare you diss the beer, you rat-faced…rat!"

Rat laughed."I'll diss the beer if I wants to, old man."

The other patrons of the bar, who knew how much Rat and Gerald, the barkeep, really liked each other, just laughed.

Gerald and Rat went way back to when Rat was just a little ball of fur.He'd found her half-drowned and disheveled on the beach one day after a very bad storm.At first, she was a pet to him and the comic relief at the bar.But as she grew, they all realized that she was more than your average rat.Now, Gerald was a father to her, and she was fiercely loyal to him.

"So what happened, Rat?Why are you so wet?"

"Ya would'na believe it, old man," Rat said, shaking her head."Ya know that one place on that island?The one everyone said was filled with loot?"

"You didn't swim over there, did you?"

"Course not!Do I look stupid to you?I hitched a ride."

"Rat!"

"What?Anywho, so I's over there, and there was this frog.There wadn't no loot though.But the frog's a cool cat.For a frog.I helped him out.Then I had to swim back across 'cause there ain't no boats in sight."

Gerald shook his head."Rat, I swear.I tell you not to go over there, and what do you do?"

"I go's over there, of course," Rat finished for him."What'ya expect me to do?"

"Oh, never mind.As long as your okay…"

"Oh please.I's harder to kill than a cockroach."Gerald sighed, but said no more about the subject."He was a fine frog though…" Rat said quietly.No one heard her.

The guard on duty yawned and dozed at his post.He was a rookie, and didn't understand the need to stand at the gate of the castle.He yawned again and blinked a few times.Then he blinked a few more times in confusion.There was a three-foot tall frog limping down the path toward Guardia Castle.The guard thought he must have fallen asleep and unsuccessfully tried to wake himself up.

The frog was at the gate at this point."Let me pass," Frog said to the poor confused guard.

"Uh…okay…" The guard replied, standing aside.Frog shook his head in disgust, but he didn't have time to deliver a proper dressing-down.He'd do it later; right now, he had to speak with the king.

He limped up the steps and into the throne room.King Guardia was talking to one of his aides, but on seeing Frog dismissed him."Frog!" he said jovially."What brings you back so soon?"

Frog limped up to the dais and bowed his head."Highness, I bring urgent news."

The queen leaned forward."Frog, what's wrong?What happened to your leg?"

"Your majesties," Frog began, speaking to both of them."I was on my way to my home when I found myself besieged by three goblins.They took me to a castle on an island in the south.I should still be there t'were it not for a thief named Rat.She helped me escape from the dungeon where I was imprisoned, and saved my life as the castle fell around us.Twas in that attack that I injured mine leg.

"I fear this doth not bode well, highness.Mayhap twas only a personal attack on myself, but it could have been a preemptive strike for the kingdom.I know not which."

The king and queen looked at each other."Frog, go to the infirmary and have them look at your leg," the king said."We'll discuss this."

Frog bowed his head and left.


	2. Chapter Two

ch2

The captain of the King's knights was bored.He was fine with peace; peace was good.His brother was certainly happy.But to be sent on a mission to an abandoned castle that may or may not even be there… The captain felt that the king was no longer allowing him to use his full potential.He also felt that it was Sir Frog's fault.

Frog was a good enough soldier, a fine fighter.But he was a frog.The King's Champion should not be a frog.The wielder of Masamune should not be a frog.The Hero of legend should not be a frog.Not that the captain was bitter; oh no.He just felt cheated.He felt that there were entirely too many Mystics taking the jobs of hard working people.Frog said he wasn't a Mystic, but the captain didn't quite believe that.

Thus it was that he sat at the bar in the Broken Knife in Porre, waiting for the ship that would take him to the abandoned castle to finally be ready.He sat, drowning his troubles in a tankard of beer.An empty tankard beer.

"Bartender," he began, then stopped when he saw a rat's tail disappear behind the bar."Bartender, don't you keep this place clean?I just saw a rat!"

"Ye got something against rats?"said a giant rat as it poked its head above the counter.

The knight captain jumped back and reached for his sword.

"Well, apparently so," Rat went on."Humanist," she muttered, dropping back down behind bar.

The knight captain recovered his aplomb."Forgive me.I hadn't expected to see, well…" he trailed off.

"G'on and say it," said Rat."A giant rat.S'what I is.And I's proud of it, too."Rat set a rag on the counter behind the bar."Ya wants another drink or not?"

"Will you be poring it?"The captain barely kept the acid out of his voice.It wasn't that he had anything against non-humans.It was just that this was a rat!

"Yah, ya gots a problem?Gerald's in back while you was drinking you'self stupid."

"I beg your pardon!" the knight captain exclaimed.

"You hearded me!I ain't gots no respect for a soldier what drinks when he's on duty."

The knight captain stood up, ready with a sharp retort.However, one of the soldiers under his command interrupted him.He sighed."What is it?"

"Sir, the ship is ready," the young man said importantly.

"Very well."He started to leave, but turned back to Rat."We'll settle this another time."

"I'll be waitin' fer ya's," Rat called after him."Dang, I tells ya…" Rat continued to mutter unintelligibly about humans who thought they were at the top of the food chain, much to the amusement of the other patrons of the bar.

"Didja get his wallet, Rat?" someone called out.

"What do I look like?A common thief?" Rat yelled back with mock-indignation as she displayed the knight captain's belt pouch.An eruption of laughter ensued, followed by bets on how long it took the captain to notice.

"Rat, how many times have I told you?If-" Gerald began, coming out the back room.

"If I'm gonna steal, do it outside," Rat finished."And several.If I'm not mistaken, ya telled me just yesterday when I filched that one guy's family heirloom."

Gerald sighed.He loved Rat, but he wished she wasn't such a kleptomaniac.It wasn't even something he had taught her to do.In fact, he had done his best to keep her from stealing from other people, but to no avail.He finally decided that the best he could do was to discourage her from stealing within the walls of the Broken Knife.It seemed that to him that it was just a rat's way, to steal.

"Well, are you ever going to listen to me?" he asked.

"I only does it when they deserves it," she muttered, picking up her rag and continuing to dry the glasses.

The knights stood on the deck of the ship gazing at a fairly dismal sight.There had been a castle all right, just as Frog had said.It was so old, it couldn't have been built recently, but the knight captain knew it hadn't been there a few weeks ago and no one had been seen building anything over here.

The castle was in a state of ruin.It had completely collapsed into itself.The soldiers made a thorough search of it, but as expected, they found nothing.Disgruntled, they returned to the castle.

"There's nothing there save ruins, your highness," the knight captain was saying to the King.Frog shook his head, slightly.The castle had still been mostly intact when he'd left it, despite the collapse of the basement ceiling.Something very strange was going on.

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" the king asked everyone in general."Maybe the castle just took a while to collapse completely."

"No, highness.The ruin wasn't the least bit recent.It even had quite a bit moss growing over it."He leaned close and said quietly, "If you don't mind, highness, I'd like to speak with you privately."

The king nodded and they walk out of earshot.Or rather, they walked out of earshot of any normal humans.But Frog, like all frogs, had incredibly keen hearing.

"Highness, no disrespect intended, but I think Frog made it up," said the knight captain.

"What?Why would he do that?"

"Well, highness, what with the war being over, there's not much reason for him to be here anymore.He could be doing this just to feel needed."

The king raised his hands."No, I won't hear of it.Sir Frog wouldn't do anything like this.I've known him for over 10 years now."

"Yes, sir.But still, I've known no few people who've manufactured enemies just to feel that they were doing something.Some of them didn't even realize it was their imagination."

Frog was hard-pressed not to argue with the knight captain.He knew what he'd seen, and he had a witness to prove it.But no one here knew how good his hearing and eyesight were, and he wanted to keep it that way.He was glad when the king called an end to the conversation and dismissed the captain.

The king sighed."Frog, are you absolutely certain of what you experienced?"

"Aye, highness," Frog answered emphatically."I cannot have faked such an injury to mine leg.And there was Rat as well."

"This is very strange.I want to know this Rat's story.Do you think you can find her?"

"I shall try, highness."Frog kneeled, glad that his leg had healed so he could again, and left.


	3. Chapter Three

ch3

A shadow moved silently through the darkened house, staying just outside of the moonlight coming through a window.It stopped next to a shelf of knick-knacks, picking some up but not taking anything.It moved on quickly, stopping at a desk.It picked up an interesting looking letter-opener and spirited it away to some hidden pouch.

It came to a half-closed door and, after a moment of hesitation, slipped inside.The room itself was uninteresting.A bed in one corner contained two sleeping forms.Near that was a bookshelf, and next to that a dresser.Sitting on the dresser was the thief's goal: a jewelry box.It quietly picked up a few necklaces and earrings before leaving again.

Outside the house, the form pulled back its hood to reveal a young boy, no older than 8 years.He took one last look at the house and ran for a certain nearby bar.

Rat was on bar duty when the boy came rushing in.She lashed her tail."Ya ain't s'pposed to be in here, Lyle," she said chidingly.

"Look!Look!" Lyle said excitedly, producing his small bag for his hero's inspection.

Rat sorted through the contents for a moment, pulling things out momentarily and dropping them for some other interesting item.Finally, she handed it back to him."Ya get these from Mr. Mayor?"Lyle nodded excitedly."Ya didn't get caught?"

"Nope!I snuck right into their room where they were sleeping, and they didn't catch me!"

"Well then!" Rat ducked under the bar and came back up with a small pouch of money."Let's see what'cha got."

They spent the next several minutes in happy haggling for the stolen items.Finally, Rat pronounced the deal completed."Ya take the rest of that stuff over to Old Man Willy.He'll take it offa yer hands."

"Thanks, Rat," Lyle said as he shook hands with her."It's been a pleasure doing business with you."

Rat laughed, although it more sounded like a squeak to the untrained listener, and ruffled his hair."You sounds like an old merchantman or somethin'.G'on!Get outta here."Lyle laughed and ran out of the bar.

Rat laughed again, silently, and dropped her new treasures into her moneybag.It wasn't much, just a necklace and two rings, but it was Lyle's first real, unsupervised expedition into someone's house.Rat was honored that he had come to her first with his goods.Especially considering she wasn't in the thieves' guild, although many guild thieves thought she should be.Her response to their badgering was always, "I just hate rule and regulations."

She ducked under the bar again to put her bag away, and heard the door open and shut.She peeked over the top of the bar and saw a familiar form."Well, well, well," she said, standing."Lookit what we got here."She grinned.

"Hello, Rat," said Frog, sitting.

"Didn't think I'd see a nob like you in here.What'll ya have?"

"Actually, I'm here to find thee.I've been looking for thee since yesterday, and I finally found out from some people in town that thou worked here."

"Yah.Considering the people ya most likely talked to, I'm a thieving, conniving, evil beast, right?"

"Aye, they had said that.They believed me to be coming to arrest thee."

"Izzat a fact…" Rat narrowed her eyes."Why would they be thinking that, now?"

"Mayhap because I am from the castle?"

"Hold on!"Rat cocked her head."The castle?You ne'er tole me that."

"Thou never asked.And most people know who I am on sight."Frog shrugged."I found it rather refreshing not to be addressed with reverence and awe."

Rat scoffed."What are ya?The king?"

Frog was saved from having to answer by one of the other patrons."He's Sir Frog, the King's Champion and the one what defeated Magus!"

Rat's head snapped around to glare at Frog.She studied him intently for some moments before saying, "You?Defeated Magus?"She blinked, then collapsed behind the bar in helpless laughter.

Frog stood indignantly."What's so funny?"

"You!" Rat choked out."Defeated Magus!Oh, that's a riot!"

"Hey, Rat," said Gerald, coming out of the back to see what the commotion was all about."He's serious."

"Say what?!"

"Oh yeah.I'm surprised you don't know, what with all your connections."

"You's joking…"Rat stood up and studied Frog again, who looked gratifyingly toward Gerald."So.You here to take me to the castle?"

"I would be grateful if thou wouldst come, aye.But of thy own will.I need thee to bare witness to what happened last week."

Rat backed up to lean against the counter behind her."Wha's in it fer me?"

"Doth thou do everything for a reward?" Frog asked scathingly.

Rat shrugged."I gots to make a living somehow."

Gerald sighed."Rat, come here."He pulled her aside and said quietly, "Rat, for once in your life, why don't you do something just to do it?"

"Ger-"

"No.Rat, listen.All your life, you've done things only if there was something in it for you.Why don't do this one thing just because someone needs you?"

Rat looked at the floor."A'right."

"Thanks, Rat."

They walked back to where Frog was contriving to look as though he hadn't heard a word they'd said."A'right," said Rat."I'll help ya."

"Thank you, Miss Rat," Frog said, bowing his head.

"One condition, though.Cut with the 'miss' and the 'madame' and the 'lady' stuff, a'right?M'name's Rat.Just Rat.Ain't got no fancy titles 'cept 'Stop, thief', a'right?"

Frog smiled."Very well."

"Ye can stay here if ya wants, but I s'ppose a nob like you'd rather stay in some fancy inn.We c'n leave in the morning."Frog agreed and left.

Rat turned to Gerald."If ya don't mind, I think I'll take the rest of the night off."

"Go right ahead," he replied."And Rat?I'm proud of you."

Rat smiled and, retrieving her bag, walked into the back room.

There was a pretty young girl behind the bar when Frog entered the next morning.Her pointed ears gave away her Mystic heritage, but the few patrons of the bar didn't seem to care."Hello, miss," Frog said.The girl giggled."I'm looking for Rat."

"Oh, don'cha wanna talk to me?" she said teasingly."I'll go get her for ya."She walked over to the door to the back room and knocked."Hey Rat?There's a nice little frog here to see you."

A few seconds went by and the door opened.Rat rubbed her eyes."Already?"

"Thou said we wouldst leave in the morning," Frog said."Tis morning now."

"Say what?It ain't morning.S'the middle of the night."Rat yawned."T'ain't morning 'til at least one o'clock.Good night."Rat ducked back into the room.Frog was about to walk over and wake her himself when there was shout followed by a crash.The door slammed open and Rat stumbled out on all fours."Le's go!"She grabbed Frog and hauled him outside, and didn't stop moving until they were well away.

"What happened?" Frog asked worriedly.

"Gerald's pissed."Rat yawned."Dang, I's tired.So, what's this all about, anyway?"

"The captain of the King's Knights took a small contingent of soldiers to search that island castle," Frog began.

"They find more'n me?"

"They found nothing save ruins.The castle looketh as though it hath been fallen for centuries."

"Say what?!But it looked brand spankin' new when we was there!"

"Aye, I know.Tis as I told them.I need thee to tell thy story of what happened, that mine may be more believable."

"They don't believe ya?"Frog shook his head."But you's the King's Champion.You's the Great Defeater of Magus."

Frog smiled sadly."I'm also naught but a frog.There are some in the castle who do not like me for that."

Rat scoffed."Humanists.Gotta hate'em.That's why I like the Broken Knife.Ain't nobody there cares what'cha look like long as they get their beer.Little Ally, back there.You met her.Mystic girl.She couldna get a job to save her soul.But Gerald's a great guy.He let's her work there most days.Outta curiosity, you a Mystic?"

"Nay.I am a frog."

"Didna think so.I ain't either, 'cept most people think I am."

The conversation trailed off here, and the two walked in silence for a while.Frog was lost in his thoughts, wondering if Rat had been human once.He didn't want to ask, though.He couldn't imagine what she was if she wasn't Mystic and she hadn't been human, but he was afraid to find out.

Finally, he said, "Art thou…happy?"

Rat blinked."'Course I am.Why ya ask?"

"Twas nothing."Frog refused to say anymore about the matter.

"I ain't seen so much stuff in my life," Rat breathed.She looked around her in excited curiosity."I never seen so many nobs.Dang, you people know how to live."Frog, troubled, didn't answer.Rat chattered happily about the amount of money that must have gone into building the castle and made guesses about how much this necklace or that broach most likely cost until she and Frog arrived at the throne room.Inside were the King and Queen, as well as the knight captain.

"Your highness," Frog said, kneeling."This is Rat, the one who helped me."Rat bowed awkwardly.

"A pleasure, Miss Rat," said the King."I understand you saved Frog from fair certain death.Why don't you tell us what happened?"

"A'right.Uh, yes, your Highness."Rat grinned."Sorry, I ain't nev-…haven't ever talked to royalty before." The queen smiled encouragingly.Rat took a breath and breath and began.

"Okay.There's a rumor goin' 'round that someone put up a castle overnight on an island.They said the castle's absolutely full of loot…er, treasure."Rat blushed in much the same way she smiled."Anywho…way, I seen this boat was getting ready to go across to it, so I hitched a ride."

"Wait," the knight captain interrupted."How could anyone have put up a castle overnight?"

Rat shrugged."Magic, I guess.Anywho, so I hitched a ride on this boat what was goin' across, and I seen the castle.It was huge!And it was nice, too.It was really new.Musta cost thousands to build; prolly cost more than Guardia…"

Frog croaked inconspicuously.

"Sorry," Rat said, blushing again."So I's lookin' around, and there ain't noth…wasn't anything there.But I seen some big guys carrying a sack, so I's thinkin' maybe they's taking some treasure to where ever 'tis they keep it.So I's followin' them, and they come to this room where they put a sword.Was Ma…sa…what is it?"

"Masamune," Frog said.

"Yah, dat.So I go's in, but the sword's to big, so I leave it for now.I keep following the big guys, and they come to this other room.Then they open the sack and dump Frogger here inside and lock the door.You know what happens after that."

"Yes, we do," the King said."Thank you, Miss Rat.You've been most helpful.Now, how do you think a new castle could suddenly look so old?"

"Magic.Does more'n ya think.I seen a guy cut a lady in half.And not that sleight of hand box trick neither.She was standing up in full view and he cut her in half and her top fell to the ground.And she didn't feel nothin' 'cept when she hit.And then he put her back together.

"In fact, now'at I think of it, I seen a guy take a rock and make it look real ancient and pre…pre…his…prehistoic?"

"Prehistoric," Frog again corrected her.

"Yah, dat," Rat agreed, nodding.

"So you think someone could use that trick to make a new castle seem ancient?" the Queen asked.

"I'd bet mah whiskers on it."

"Thank you," said the King."You've been quite a help.You may go now."

Rat bowed and left rather nervously.

"Highness," said Frog."Doth thou believe her?"

"Yes, I do.I would like to speak with the knight captain.Why don't you escort Rat off the premises?"

"Very well, highness."Frog kneeled and followed after Rat.He found her critically eyeing a tapestry.

One ear swiveled toward him and her whiskers twitched."Hey, Frogman," she said without turning."How much ya think this costs?"

"I wouldn't know," he answered."Come, I shall show thee out."

"Thanks, 'cause I'm completely lost in here."She grinned and followed him.

They spoke quite a bit on the way back.At the door, Rat said, "Frog, listen.Something's wrong.I didn't like the smell back there."

"What art thou talking about?"

"Couldn't ya feel it?Something's goin' on.I wouldn't sleep if I was you."Rat left Frog wondering what she could possibly have been talking about.


	4. Chapter Four

ch4

"NOOOOOOOO!!!!"The anguished cry reverberated off the library walls."Why?!Why did he have to die?"The voice degenerated into unintelligible sobbing.

"That is the fourth time you've read that book," said Flea."Why do you cry every time you finish it?"

"Because its sad!" exclaimed Mariel."All through the book, the heroes pursue the villain, but he stays one step ahead of them.And then, just when you think he's going to win, that little bimbo sticks a knife in him.It's such a cheap shot."

Mariel was half-human and half-Mystic.She had long, thick, blue-tinted hair and long pointed ears to remind people who might forget about her Mystic heritage.It also reminded people of things they would rather forget.When she still lived among humans, barely a day went by that someone didn't persecute her because of her father.

Her father had left when she was still small, shortly after the birth and untimely disappearance of her little sister.Her mother had died from grief not long later, leaving Mariel in the capable but uncaring hands of some neighbors.At first, she didn't understand why people hated her so much.They had liked her well enough when her father had still been around.But as time wore on, she found out.Her father was the great and evil Magus.

With that knowledge came the realization that people were afraid of her.They were afraid she would use her power to kill them all, even though she hadn't shown many signs of having inherited her father's magic.

Accompanied by the fear of everyone around her and nurtured by their hatred of her and her father, Mariel grew cynical and sarcastic, though she maintained a deceptively lazy attitude.She withdrew into herself and tendered thoughts of revenge.She dreamed of her father returning to her and teaching her the magic he held.She dreamed of leading the Mystics by his side.She imagined the King and Queen of Guardia bowing at her feet, begging for her mercy.Of course, she'd give it to them as long as they agreed to serve her…

But time passed, and her father never returned.Then she heard he was defeated by that stupid frog who fancied himself the Hero of legend.Her dreams shattered, she ran.

Slash and Flea found her crying in a hole near the Magic Cave, but they mistook her for Magus at first.When they realized who she was, they took her to her father's castle.This was two years ago.Mariel had been learning magic from Flea and fighting from Slash.She had chosen her father's favorite weapon, the scythe, for her own.

The Mystics had been gaining in power again under Mariel's rule.Now, she was about ready to strike.

"Mariel, why don't you study your magic, like you're supposed to be doing?" Flea asked.

"Because I did already.I'm taking a break."Mariel stretched and stood, then wandered across the room to look over Flea's shoulder."What're you doing?"

"Trying to find someone," he replied distractedly, staring into a crystal.

"Who?"

"One of your family members.Didn't you used to have a sister?"

"Yeah, but she disappeared a long time ago.I think I was about five.Why?"

Flea looked away from the crystal."Do you remember her at all?"

"I remember she was a year old when she disappeared.What else is there?"

"I think she's still alive, but I can't find her.If we could find her, we might be able to get her on our side."

"Do we care?" Mariel asked caustically.

"She'd most likely be very powerful, probably as much as you."

Mariel looked at Flea sharply."She's not!I know it."She calmed down again, returning to her characteristic lazy and laid back attitude."She's gone for good anyway, whether she's dead or not."She brushed a few fingers over Flea's crystal and stared into its depths.

"How would you know that?"

"Because I do…I remember what happened…"

"Would you like to tell me about it?"

"No."Mariel picked up the crystal."Tell me about father's enemy, the frog knight."

Flea blinked in confusion; Mariel had never cared before."Alright," he said, and began his narrative.

Frog was lost in thought, trying to figure out what Rat had been talking about.Certainly, something was wrong, but it was the strange, seemingly magical castle that was the problem.It didn't have anything to do with Guardia castle.

Did it?

What if it did?

Frog's thoughts ran in circles like this as he wandered the halls of the castle.What if he was just making it up?What if Rat was part of the whole plot?What if-

Voices.Frog strained his ears to catch the words.

"-Stupid frog," someone was saying."That rat, too.If it hadn't shown up, Sir Froggy would be a pancake by now."

"Don't underestimate him," said a second person, female this time."He's more resourceful than you think.If Rat hadn't helped him escape, he most likely would have found another way out.I told you to kill him outright."

"You know what the boss said.He wants Frog alive for 'his own purposes.'"

"Then more the fool is he."

The voices stopped talking.Frog wondered if they somehow knew he was there, but he heard their footsteps walking in the opposite direction.The first voice…he didn't know.It sounded almost familiar, but not really.But the second voice, the woman's, that one he did know.And he didn't like the implications.But how could he find out anything?That was the question.Then he remembered something Gerald had said to Rat."With all your connections…"Attempting to appear nonchalant, he left the castle to pay a visit to the Broken Knife.

Frog found Rat deep in conversation with two very large men.Her back was to him, but one ear swiveled around as he closed the door.She turned her head to look at him and motioned him toward the bar, then went back to her conversation.

"Look, I's just an honest rat tryin' ta make a livin', a'right?I just don't like all the rules and regulations you guys put to people."

"Well, if you don't join, you're going to have real problems, Rat," said one of the men."And I don't want to see one of your ears adorning the king's wall.Or worse."

"I just don't see why an honest, hard-working thief should be forced to pay to join an organization he's being forced to join.Now, you boys go back and tell His Highness that I'll be perfectly willing to talk about this rationally, and maybe he can persuade me to join.With his words.But if I get one more threat like last night, someone dies, a'right?"

"Is that a threat?" the second man asked.

"You bloody straight it is," Rat answered.The two men looked at each other and sighed heavily, but they left.Rat walked back to the bar."Jerks from the Thieves' Guild," she told Frog.

"Thieves' Guild?I hadn't known there was one."

"Oh, yah.They's annoying, too.So what'll you have?"

"Actually, I'm here to see thee again."

"Now, Frog," Rat teased him."The going rate fer my help is currently 50 G an hour."

"Tis about what thou told me as thou wert leaving the castle.That something was wrong."

"Ya find out what it is yet?"

"Nay.Tis why I need thy help again.I believe Gerald mentioned thou hath…connections?"

Rat narrowed her eyes."You want me to spy'em out fer ya?"Frog nodded."Well, I'd be happy too, but my boys don't work fer free."

"I'll pay any amount necessary," Frog said urgently.

"…A'right.They likes scraps.Bread, cheese.Mebbe a little fruit on the side-"

"What art thou talking about?"

"My boys.Oh, they can get anywhere.Just bring a pound of food scraps and some shiny stuff and they be happy."

"Thy 'boys' aren't precisely human, are they?"

Rat grinned."Just find the stuff, then I'll introduce ya.But out of curiosity, why ya so urgent?"

"Because," Frog leaned close to Rat's ear."I believe…the queen may be involved."

"Yah?"Rat leaned back in contemplation."We see.Go find the stuff."

Mariel stood on the balcony outside her room, magical lightning playing across her fingertips.She stood in apparent idleness, but in reality, her mind was awhirl.She was thinking about what she had learned of Frog.And Cyrus.Her father's two greatest enemies.One dead, and one cursed to be a small amphibian.It was almost funny.

Flea hadn't left anything out of the telling, including even her father's betrayal of the Mystic race.It made Mariel think.What if all this was wrong?What if her father would be more proud of her if she forgave humans and tried to help them, instead of destroying them?He had once loved a human woman after all.For a few years.

Mariel banished the lightning and looked out over the sea, lit by the dying sun.Really, Frog's story was rather tragic.It was just like the books Mariel liked to read, only the villain won this story.And in this story, Mariel found herself crying over the slain hero."What a fickle girl I am…" she said softly.


	5. Chapter Five

ch5

Eight very large rats fought over the scraps Frog had brought to the alley behind the bar.The ninth and largest had already gotten his share and was sitting on Rat's paw."This here's Lenny," she said."He's the leader of this gang."

"Lenny?" Frog asked skeptically.

"Yah, he's named after a famous thief.Leonard the Shadow."

Frog nodded in understanding.Leonard the Shadow had been the greatest thief ever to walk the land.He'd started on his chosen path in 456 at age 11.Over the years, he'd formed a gang consisting of himself and 8 other people.

The gang, which was called the Rat Pack, had reigned with an iron fist for nearly 30 years, spreading terror across the land.Men trembled and women swooned at the mere mention of the Rat Pack or Lenny the Shadow.Their one redeeming quality was that they never stole from anyone who couldn't afford it.Lenny remembered all too well his impoverished past and had pity for those like him.

Many had tried to stop them, but all failed.The Pack was simply too smart to be trapped and too strong to be fought.The Pack had seemed invincible until the day a chance bolt from a lucky man's crossbow had hit Lenny in the back.After that, the rest of the Pack was imprisoned and executed.

Frog quickly made the connection between the Rat Pack and this pack of rats."Then the rest of thy friends must be…"

Rat grinned and nodded.She pointed them out as she said their names."Johnny, Scarface, Little Bro, Big Bro, Alan the Knife, Steph, Mikey, and Fingers Mack."

Frog laughed and shook his head."And these rats shall discover what's going on in Guardia?"

"Don't underestimate 'em, Frogman.They may be small, but they can get into anything.You should know better."

"Aye, tis true," he agreed.He reached out and let Lenny sniff his hand.The rest of the gang rushed over to inspect him now.Apparently, they didn't mind what they saw because they promptly ignored him.

"A'right, boys, listen up.We's all gonna go with Frogman here to Guardia Castle.I wants ya'll to behave.Ya do good, ya gets shinies.Ya do bad, ya gets nethin'.A'right?Right.Now, here's what we's gonna do…"Rat gave out job assignments to each of the rats in specific, referring to Frog for a few details here and there.Then she stood."Le's go."

Frog didn't see the rat pack at all during the first part of the trip.He was worried they might have decided not to come.

"No worries, Frogger," said Rat when he voiced his thoughts."They's coming.They just don't like to travel in the open."

"Canst thou understand them?"

"I'm a rat, ain't I?"

"Aye, but I'm a frog, yet I cannot understand normal frogs."

"You ain't a normal frog," Rat pointed out.

"But thou art not a normal rat, either."

"Hm, good point.Weird."

They walked in silence for a while longer.As they came to the Zenan Bridge, the rat pack appeared again, running ahead of them.Rat grinned."See?I telled ya they was still here."

As they arrived on the other side, the rats disappeared again."Where wilt thou be when we arrive?" Frog asked.

"I'll hang out in the forest.Come out tomorrow, and I'll tell ya if we found anything."

"Very well.I shall see thee on the morrow."

"See ya."Rat disappeared in much the same fashion her boys had, leaving Frog walking alone.

Light, movement, sound, smell…Kitchen.Right.Lenny's thought process was nowhere near the caliber of a human's, but it didn't matter.He squeaked at his gang to get moving, and they'd meet Ratback at dawn.The pack scattered.

Smell, smell, smell cheese…smell…no cats.Good.Lenny peeked out from underneath a counter.Some…what were they…humans.Right.Cooks.Right.Lenny rushed out of his hiding spot.He saw Big Bro across the room, sniffing at an interesting looking mess.Little Bro was, as ever, nearby.They never went anywhere without each other.Lenny ran up some steps.

Smell…still no cats.Right.Good.He looked around.There was Scarface stalking one of the humans that clanked when he walked.Soldier.Yeah, that was it.Lenny twitched his whiskers.Johnny had been by here…

Big Bro squeaked as he came up the stairs.Little Bro squeaked because he always repeated everything Big Bro said.Lenny squeaked at them to get their tails in gear if they wanted shinies.They ran past at high speed.

Lenny twitched his ears.Voices.He hated human voices.Too low-pitched; he couldn't understand a word they said.Little ones were okay, because their squeaking was a more normal pitch, but big ones just gave him a headache.He followed the voices anyway.

He looked around.There was that one human Rat described to him.He followed her.He listened very carefully to what they said because, although he couldn't understand the words, he could still parrot back what they'd said to Rat.He had a talent for mimicking human speech, albeit at a much higher pitch.

Smell…something…wrong…not a cat…not quite…smells like…

PAIN!

Lenny ran straight forward, up some steps, and into a small room where he hid in a nearby box.He panted and gasped as his back bled and hurt.Something red and furless with claws charged up the steps, but it passed his hiding place.Apparently it didn't have good smell.Lenny would have laughed if his back hadn't been hurting so badly.

He peeked out carefully, and caught a familiar and friendlier smell.Fingers Mack.Lenny squeaked at him to find everyone else and get them out.Fingers squeaked back and ran away.Lenny pulled himself out of his hiding place and made his painful way back to Rat.


	6. Chapter Six

ch6

The sun slowly peeked out from below the horizon, flooding the world with a pale, pink light.Birds began to awaken and drowsily sang their songs of welcome to the morning.A few wayward fireflies buzzed lazily around Frog's head as he walked toward Guardia Forest and his meeting with Rat.

He'd spent most of the night worrying about what her boys would find in the castle.He prayed he was wrong about the voice he'd heard.The thought that the queen was plotting against him filled him with a terrible sadness.He'd dedicated his life to making sure she was safe.He shook his head slowly; she couldn't have betrayed him.

He entered the forest and looked around.Rat should be here…

Something hit him from behind, knocking him to the ground before he could draw his sword."Oh, it's you," said Rat.

"Thou doth not seem very pleased to see me," Frog replied as he struggled to his feet.

Rat helped him up. She sighed and said, "Sorry, I's jus' worried.Fingers, Alan, and Lenny is missing."She looked around."And there's been weird things happenin' out here."

"What kinds of things?"

"I dunno, just weird stuff.There was green lights floatin' around.And freaky owls.I tells ya-"Rat broke off as something squeaked."Fingers?Izzat…Oh no…Lenny!"

Rat ran forward and fell to her knees, crying.As Frog joined her, he could see what had upset her so.Fingers and Alan had come back dragging the mangled body of their leader Lenny.He was covered in blood, and his back was torn almost completely open.Rat held his head in one hand and wiped away her tears with the other.

"Lenny, no…" she moaned.The leader of the rat pack, valiant to the end, squeaked once, weakly, and died.

Rat threw back her head and howled her anguish."Noooooooo!!!!!!!!"

Frog stood silently as Rat and the pack grieved.He felt saddened at their loss, and realized for the first time exactly how much these rats meant to the young thief, why she called them "her boys."They were her family, perhaps even more so than Gerald.Frog, whose only real friends now all lived in another time, envied her.She had someone to care about who cared for her.Even if they were rather unintelligent rodents, they obviously understood love and loss.

Rat scooped up Lenny's mangled remains and stood.The pack crowded around her legs, and Alan ran up to her shoulder.She walked to a nearby tree and laid Lenny beneath it."Rest in peace, old friend," she said, her voice choked with tears."You was a good rat, Lenny."The pack squeaked their own simple eulogies quietly.

Frog put his hand on Rat's unoccupied shoulder.She was obviously trying to be brave and not cry."I understand thy loss, Rat," Frog said."Tis hard to lose someone thou loveth.Especially before thine eyes."

Rat threw her arms around him and cried as the pack gathered around them both.

In the small town of Truce, there was a bar.This was a small bar, one which no one would ever have thought much about.No one guessed that in a small back room of this small bar, two men and one woman stood or sat, deep in plots of scandal and conspiracy.

"I recognized the rodent, your highness," said a man."It was one of those nine that Rat keeps."The man was, for lack of a better word, ugly.He was a very large man, and heavily muscled.Women might have been attracted to him at one time, but now, his whole body was covered in purple scars.Most people thought he had been through a very bad fire.In actuality, he had been on the receiving end of a spell called Antipode, which combined the magics of fire and ice to kill or injure a foe.

His purpose in all of this plotting was simple: revenge.The Antipode spell had been cast on him by two girls who had been with Sir Frog when he had attacked them.He didn't know their names, but he didn't really care.He rather hoped that killing Frog would bring him within reach of them.

"I see," said the other man, the one the first had addressed as "Your Highness."His Highness, the King of Thieves was surprisingly civilized for a rogue.He had a light, and most likely cultured, accent.Aside from an eye patch over his right eye, he could have passed for a noble."Well, then, Garret, you were quite right to let the Beast kill it," he said jovially.Garret heaved a sigh of relief that he wasn't going to have his ear added to the King's collection.The King addressed the woman."So, you think that frog is onto you, Leene?"He emphasized the name in a conspiratorial manner.

"I've told you not to call me that."The woman shook her head."I think he knows something is going on, but I doubt he suspects me.He's spent the last thirteen years protecting the Queen; he couldn't possibly think she would be plotting against him."She laughed lightly at the absurdity of the situation, causing the King to laugh.Garret laughed then, though it was rather forced.It wouldn't do to make the King angry over something so trivial.

Mariel gazed into the bottomless depths of Flea's crystal, trying to regain the image she had caught a flash of that day in the library.She'd been trying to see it for the past two days now, ever since she found out the circumstances surrounding her father and Frog.It had been driving her to distraction.

She had seen Frog.At least, she had the impression it was Frog.Only, he wasn't a frog.He was a human.And he looked younger than Mariel, but that wasn't right because he was, at least according to Slash, around 27. Mariel was only 21.And her sister would be 20…

She shook her mind away from thoughts of her nameless sibling, and again concentrated on the crystal.So far, she wasn't even able to see that image again.It was becoming aggravating.She could almost see him, almost grab the image again, and then it would slip through her metaphorical fingers.She closed her eyes as a headache threatened and tried to think what could have caused the image the first time.Flea had been looking for her sister, and…

"That's it!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet to begin pacing."Of course.Why didn't I see it sooner?Well, why would I have?I mean there's absolutely no reason for me to associate one with the other.Unless its because…" Mariel trailed off as she realized she was thinking aloud again.She knew Flea was spying on her of late.She could feel the presence of the spell he had cast, even though he didn't know it.He didn't realize how advanced she was.But she'd been studying harder than he thought, and she could probably rival him in magic abilities.She might even be able to defeat him if it came to battle.

She sat back down and stared into the crystal.This time, instead of trying to see Frog, she concentrated on her long lost sibling.The depths of the crystal swirled enticingly, inviting the viewer to become lost within them, but Mariel was used to the charm spell and knew how to counter it.Flea, who had cast the spell, had taught her how.It was all about wrenching control of the image away from the charm.

Slowly, a picture began to form.Mariel willed the crystal to move faster, but it only slowed down.She blinked and the picture was lost."That's not supposed to happen…" she said quietly."When I want something…it's supposed to give it to me…"

She stared at the crystal in confusion and brushed her fingers idly across the surface.

_ _

_Glenn kneeled next to his fallen comrade Cyrus as Magus and Ozzie jeered at them.Tears of loss stung his eyes, but the ice-cold hand of fear gripped his heart.If Cyrus couldn't defeat them with the Masamune, what chance did Glenn have with only his short sword?_

_Suddenly, Cyrus' body burst into flames as Magus cast his Fire spell."What's the matter?Aren't you going to try your luck?" the mage scoffed.Glenn jumped to his feet, making a small, non-committal noise in the back of his throat.He took a few frightened steps backwards._

_Ozzie laughed."Cat your tongue, kid?"He turned toward Magus."How 'bout it, Magus?Can't you give him a more fitting form?"_

_Magus smiled evilly."All right, why not?There's always time for a little fun."He chanted a quick incantation, during which Glenn just had time to turn and take a few steps.Magus gestured and a lightning bolt shot down and hit Glenn._

He yelled in pain as it burned his skin and continued to burn all through him, making his insides twist sickeningly.He staggered toward the cliff's edge and, screaming his agony, collapsed over the side.Just before blessed darkness took him, he heard Ozzie laugh and say, "You spineless wimp!"

Mariel tried to slowly pry her eyes open, but the light in the room pierced her vision and made her see stars.Her head was pounding as much as poor Glenn's must have been when he hit the bottom of the cliff.That had never happened before either.She saw the visions in the crystal, not had them forcibly shoved into her brain, living the memories, as they were her own.

So his name was Glenn once.She hadn't really thought about whether Frog was his real name or not, but it made sense that it wasn't.However, Flea hadn't mentioned his real name, and it made Mariel wonder what else he had left out.

She opened her eyes again, this time managing to keep them open.Slowly, she pulled herself to a sitting position and stopped, allowing her blood flow to return to some semblance of normalcy.

Flea hadn't mentioned what spell Magus had used to kill Cyrus.Or to turn Frog into a frog, for that matter.Mariel supposed it didn't really matter, and maybe Flea didn't even know.Or maybe he had purposely kept these things from her.

Finally, Mariel was able to stand shakily and take a few steps across the room to collapse on the bed where she rang for an imp servant.Really, it was just her nature to be suspicious of everyone.She figured Flea told her everything he knew.He probably didn't know Frog's real name was Glenn, and he had probably never really cared.

The imp came, and Mariel told it to bring her something for a migraine.It was a blue imp, the weaker kind.One of Flea's favorite types because they were notoriously afraid of him.It had come rather quickly, hadn't it?

Mariel shook her head and immediately wished she hadn't.She was being entirely too suspicious of Flea.After all, he and Slash had found her and offered to train her.They could have left her where she was and saved themselves many headaches and much pain.Why would they lie to her?Unless they knew something that would make her betray them like Magus had…

Mariel fell asleep before the imp came back, but she dreamed again of Glenn's memories.It seemed they wouldn't leave her alone so easily now that she'd seen them.


	7. Chatper Seven

ch7

Gerald sat behind the bar, rather bored.Since the majority of his customers were still working, it would be a few more hours before they started coming in to drink.With Rat gone for who knew how long, Gerald had nothing to do.

There was one person in the bar, however.Gerald couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman.The person was hidden in a heavy cloak with the hood pulled low.It sat at the back of the bar, in the corner farthest from the door.Its head darted this way and that, starting at every sound, as though it was a hunted animal.

The door opened, interrupting Gerald's bored musings, and Rat walked in followed by Frog.Gerald knew instantly that something was wrong; Rat's ears and whiskers were drooping, and her tail dragged the ground.The fur around her eyes was darker than usual, signaling that she'd been crying.

Gerald rushed to her."Rat, what's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

She sniffed once and threw herself into his arms, her tears starting anew.Gerald looked to Frog for answers.

Frog sighed and said, "Leonard has died."

"Oh, no," Gerald breathed."Not Lenny.Oh, Rat, I'm so sorry."

"How did he die?" asked a low female voice from the back of the room.Gerald mentally cursed at having forgotten about that person.

Rat sniffed and blinked."He was killed," she answered."I dunno how."

"It's very sad to lose a loved one.You have my sympathy."The figure stood and pulled back her hood to reveal a woman of striking beauty.Her skin was a pale cream color, and her face was thin with high cheekbones.She was obviously of Mystic heritage because her long, thick hair was blue.That wasn't a normal color for a human, after all.Her ears were long and pointed, as well, showing through her hair.Her eyes, however, were her most striking feature.Mystics usually had brown or green eyes, but this woman's were red.Gerald heard Frog gasp slightly, though Rat was unimpressed by her.

"Thanks," said Rat.She walked through the bar to the back room to cry in peace for a while.

Gerald was speechless, awestruck by some force he didn't even realize was holding him.Mariel looked at him."Leave, please."

Gerald, held in the thrall of Mariel's charm spell, nodded mutely and walked out the door, leaving Frog alone with Mariel.Frog put a hand on Masamune, ready to draw it if need be, and said, "Who art thou?"

"That depends on you," she answered."I am Mariel, daughter of Magus.I know all about you.I could be your friend, or your enemy.It's all up to you."

"Why should thou be mine friend if thou art truly the daughter of mine mortal enemy?"

"I am hardly my father," Mariel replied lazily."In fact, the last time I saw him was 20 years ago.I was five.I don't remember him."

"Why art thou here?"

"Because I wanted to meet you."

"Why?"

"Because…just because.Do I need a reason?"

Frog shook his head in confusion.If this girl was truly Magus' daughter, and the resemblance was too astounding to be coincidence, then wouldn't she want revenge?Or something.

Frog realized that Mariel was standing in front of him now.She kneeled down to be eye level with him and said, "I am not my father.I know what he did to you.I feel sorry for you."

"Do not feel sorry for me.I am well enough."He gave a short laugh."Indeed, I quite enjoy being a frog."

"No, you don't.I can see it in your eyes.I know all about you."

"What do you know?" Frog whispered, slipping out of his dialect.

"You were a coward.You blamed yourself for Cyrus' death.You sought revenge.You got it.Magus is dead."

Frog shook his head to clear it, realizing Mariel had been trying to charm him."I thought thou said thou knew everything about me.If Magus were dead, I would be human."

Mariel sighed heavily."I see…That I did not know.Oh, how much more is there?I hate being ignorant."She stood and pulled her hood back over her head."One of these days, I'll know it all.What started it all.How it all ended.Everything.Until we meet again, noble kaeru…"She trailed a few fingers across Frog's face as she walked past, startling him.Then she was gone.

Rat sniffed.She knew that smell, though she couldn't think why.That girl was familiar, though.Not that it mattered.

She didn't know what was going on in the tavern proper; she was too busy remembering the good times she'd had with Lenny.She thought about how they'd first met.

She had been a small thing at the time, and always into something.One day, she'd wandered into the back alley.Gerald had always told her not to go there.Rat smiled.He still didn't know any better.

He'd always said it was dangerous back there, that mean people who'd try to hurt her were back there. She'd gone there anyway, of course.She didn't meet any mean people, though.She met a very mean rat.

_"Wha'chu doin' back here, ya two-leg vermin?" he squeaked at her._

_"N-n-nothing," she stuttered in response._

_"Look't'cha!" he said scornfully."Can't even walk right.Hey, boys!Get out here!"_

_Three more rats walked into the alley.They jeered her, calling her names like two-legger's pet or filthy half-human.She was crying by then; she was still very young.The rats starting biting her, and clawing her.She was large enough to have swatted them away, but too young to realize it._

_Suddenly, another rat squeaked, sending the four scurrying away as fast as their legs could take them.She looked up to see the largest rat she had ever seen.He was easily a foot long from nose to tail, and brown in color.Rat gasped and pressed herself against the wall behind her._

_"Oh, r'lax, would'cha?" he squeaked."I ain't gonna hurt'cha.I dun like to see dem jerkoffs picking on females."_

_"What's your name?" Rat asked, still a little scared._

_"Name? Wazzat?"_

_"That's what people call you, silly."Rat giggled."They call me Rat, cause that's what I am."_

_"Yeah?They call me, 'Oh crud! Run for your lives!'"Rat began laughing helplessly."What?That's what they call me."_

_At first, Rat thought he joking.Then she realized he was serious.She collapsed, too weak with laughter to move._

_The rat huffed."Mebbe I shoulda jus' left'cha to them…" he said, turning to go._

_"Oh no! Please," Rat said."It's just… well, that ain't a name."_

_"Den what is?"_

_Rat thought for a moment."I'll call you Lenny, after Leonard the Shadow.He's my hero."_

_The newly christened Lenny pushed his ears back and said, "All right.I c'n live with that."_

Rat smiled at the memory.Shortly after that, those four rats who'd attacked her became Alan, Fingers, Johnny, and Mikey.The other four had shown up a few weeks later.They had all been friends ever since.

A tear rolled down Rat's face as she realized again that she'd never be able to go out back and get pounced on by Lenny, or have to intervene in a rat fight between him and Alan.She'd never get to listen to him go on and on about the interesting shinies he'd found, or the latest attempts to catch the pack with traps.

But he wouldn't want her to be like this.If he were with her right then, he'd tell her to get her tail in gear and find out what was going on.He'd say, "What'chu sittin' around here for?Get outta here, and get that thing what got me."She could almost hear him, in fact…

Rat clenched her paws into fists.She was going to find out what happened, and she was going to make someone pay.And whoever it was would pay dearly.


	8. Chapter Eight

ch8

Frog went home.He needed to think in the peace and quiet solitude that the Cursed Woods provided him.There was something very, very wrong, that much was obvious.What he didn't understand was how Mariel could fit into the picture.

Thinking about Mariel made him wonder exactly how Magus had managed to have a daughter.Oh, certainly, Frog understood the mechanics involved.But who in her right mind…

And with Magus…

Frog shook his head, choosing not to think of such things.All that mattered was that Magus had a daughter.What that meant exactly was what Frog needed to find out.He wanted to assume that everything that was happening was her doing.She was Magus' daughter, after all.

Frog pulled off his cape and breastplate and lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling.Not for the first time, he missed his friends.Crono, ever silent, who never really had much to say.He was smart, though.Their enemies tended to underestimate him, thinking he was stupid because he hardly spoke.They never usually lived long enough to make the same mistake twice.

Princess Nadia.Frog hadn't been very comfortable simply calling her Marle when he found who she was.She was always so happy, though.A bright ray of sunlight on a clouded day.

Lucca, the inventor.She was a genius.Such wonders that Frog had never seen were commonplace to her.Her Wondershot, for instance; it seemed like an elaborate crossbow, only it shot bolts made of light instead of metal.Truly incredible.

Thoughts of Lucca reminded him of Robo, the metal man, or robot as he called himself.He looked like something Lucca could have built.Frog wondered, not for the first time, how anything like that could be created without the use of magic.He wondered if Robo had a place in the new future, if the robot was happy there.

Ayla hadn't quite been able to pronounce robot.She'd always called him a "rawboot".Frog laughed at the memory of his prehistoric friend.Ayla had been the chief of the Ioka tribe.She was primitive, but hardly stupid.She was very strong, too, both in physical strength and will power.

Finally, there was Magus.Or maybe he called himself Janus now.Though there was no love lost between the two of them, Frog couldn't bring himself to hate Magus any longer.The dark wizard had gone through more pain than anyone should ever have to.Not that he hadn't gotten revenge on half the world for it, including Frog himself and his best friend Cyrus.But the past was the past, and Frog simply could not hate Magus anymore.And that was the one thing that kept Frog from blaming everything that had happened on Mariel.

Frog kneeled next to his fallen comrade Cyrus as Magus and Ozzie jeered at them.He looked around in wild confusion.Had the past twelve years been a dream?A dream!Of course, he was dreaming.Except that people weren't supposed to know when they were dreaming, were they?

The scene was frozen.It reminded Frog of when he, Magus, and Marle had used the Chrono Trigger to go back and save Crono from Lavos.The world was grey, the air was dead.

Frog stood, but his body felt strange, and the ground was rather farther away than he was used to.Quite a bit farther away, in fact.Frog put his hand on his head, trying to ward off the dizziness that assailed him.He pulled it away again almost immediately.There was no color, the details were fuzzy, but the hand was human.

Frog's breath caught in his throat as he looked at his other hand.It was human, too.He put his hands to his face.Human skin, human hair…his eyes were closer together, making him feel cross-eyed.But he was human again.

"Not quite," said a voice from behind him.Frog whirled around to face the speaker, but there was no one there."Don't be fooled by appearances," said the voice, again from behind him.Again he turned but saw nothing."Or sounds, for that matter.I could be anywhere.Here."The voice came from his left."Or here."The voice was on his right."Nothing is real, Glenn."

Frog blinked."Glenn…tis a name I hath not been called in years.How doth thou know it?"

"I know more than that.A lot more.I've been there with you ever since the beginning, though you didn't know it.You and Cyrus couldn't have defeated Masa and Mune without me."

"But what art thou?" Frog persisted."What is thy name?"

"I am what I choose to be.My name…"A blurry form appeared in front of Frog.At first, he couldn't make out what it was.It was just an amorphous mist, the color of its surroundings.Gradually, it took on color and definite form until it resolved itself into a creature that looked like Masa or Mune."My name is Doreen.We met in Enhasa.That's why I came to you."

"When did thou come to me?I hath only seen thee in Enhasa."

Doreen smiled."Look at you.So fuzzy, like your memory.Has it really been so long?I wouldn't know; I've been asleep."

"It hath been twelve years."

"Wow.It has been a while.No wonder you don't remember what you looked like back then."Frog swallowed the cry that welled up in his throat.It was true.He had long forgotten what he looked like when he was human.Oh, he could remember a few details that stood out, such as his green hair, or the fact that he was too skinny.But he didn't really remember.

He was fine, though.He was happy enough.

"For a frog?" asked Doreen.Even before Frog could form the question to ask it, she answered, "Yes.I can hear everything your thinking.This is my dream, Glenn, not yours."

"But tis mine memory."

"True."Doreen disappeared, reappearing next to Cyrus."You asked how I've been with you.Think, Glenn, and think carefully.Why does the Badge of Courage interact so well with the Masamune?"

Realization dawned in Frog's mind.He looked at Cyrus, though it hurt him to do so, and saw the Hero Medal held loosely in his hand."Thou came to me…I understand.But what is thy purpose now?"

"That's for me to know.You'll find out soon enough."She faded away, and the world around them followed suit.

As Frog awoke, he heard her say, "Oh, one more thing.I'd like to give you back your memory…"

The King of Thieves sat with his feet on a table in the back room of his bar.He was staring out a small window, waiting for someone to show up.This person was the best of the best, and one of his two greatest spies in the Mystic kingdom.This person had also cast an illusion so astounding that it had the entire kingdom of Guardia fooled.

Something black flew into the window and bounced off, and the King nearly fell out of his chair laughing.He stood to go open it, but a rather feminine voice said, "Don't bother."In a puff of smoke, Flea appeared in the room rubbing his head."Jerk," he muttered.

"So, Flea, what's going on on the Mystic side of things?" the King asked, trying not to laugh too hard.

"I'd thank you to remember that I could incinerate you with a thought," Flea said, his voice dripping with acid.The King sobered immediately, though he was still laughing inside."Mariel ran off today; I don't know where she's gone.There's still no sign of Magus-"

"I don't know why you keep worrying about him," the King interrupted."The last I heard, that frog killed him."

"Hmph!Show how much you know."Flea turned his away in a gesture of annoyance."If Magus was dead, Gle-ahem…I don't think it's any of your business."

"What were you going to say?"

"Nothing that concerns you.Now, do you need anything else from me?I need to get back."

"No, that's enough."

Flea harrumphed and disappeared in thick cloud of smoke, causing the King to cough horribly and throw the window open.He grimaced as he heard Flea's laughter drift by on the wind."Damn you, Flea," he muttered."If I didn't need your help…" He didn't finish that thought aloud.Instead, he pondered what Flea had been about to say, and wondered why he had stopped himself.


	9. Chapter Nine

ch9

Mariel entered her father's castle to find Slash and Flea standing side by side at the bottom of the main stairway."And where have you been, girl?" asked Slash.

"Around," Mariel replied evasively.She pulled back her hood to see them better; although she kept her eyes half-closed and her head tilted to the left, appearing to be very tired, she was actually quite aware of everything going on around her.

"Around where?" Flea said.He walked toward her and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look him in the eyes."Don't be a fool, Mariel.I know where you went."

"You're bluffing," she replied, angry with Flea."You think you know me so well; well, let me tell you something."She grabbed his hand.Slash started forward, but Flea held up his other hand to stop him.

"Tell me what, Mariel?" he asked sarcastically."That you're nothing but a spoiled brat?"

Mariel opened her mouth to retort, but she stopped.Flea was right; she was acting rather spoiled.She lowered her head."I'm sorry.You're right."

"Good.Now why don't you tell us where you went?"

Mariel sighed."I just went back home," she lied.She didn't want to tell them she'd gone to meet Frog."I just got to feeling nostalgic.No one saw me."

Flea nodded, accepting the lie, although Slash looked at her strangely."Why would you want to go back there?" he asked suspiciously.

Mariel shrugged."Just to see how things were."She scoffed."And things are dry as ever."Slash still looked at her as though he knew she was lying, but he chose not to press the issue.Flea took Mariel's hand and led her up the steps, giving her a stern lecture on telling them where she would be before she left.She nodded demurely and pretended to accept the new rules, but inside she was a whirl of emotion.They were hiding something.She knew it.

Frog swallowed.He had fought his way through hordes of demons, defeated Magus, destroyed the Black Omen, and survived the fight with Lavos, but nothing could have prepared him for this.It was a shock, to say the least.He was grateful he was the only one who could see it.When Doreen had said she was going to give him back his memory, he hadn't expected it to be like this.He'd thought he would remember, not that he would see his human reflection every time he looked in the mirror.It was faint, it was overshadowed by his real reflection, but it was there.

"Frog!" a voice called.Frog sighed and turned away from the mirror."Hey, Frogman!"It was Rat.

"I come!" he called back to her.

Rat was rubbing her knives together when Frog poked his head out of the whole that was the entrance to his home.She stopped and sheathed them when she saw him."We goin' back to that island castle or what?" she asked with a touch of impatience.

"Wh-what?Why?"Frog stuttered."Tis naught that remaineth save ruins."

"I wanna see that fer myself, Frog," Rat answered."That castle had something to do with what's goin' on now, and I wanna see that there's nothin' there.I'm goin' with or without ya."Rat turned to go, her tail lashing behind her.

"Wait!" Frog called."I shall accompany thee."

"Then what're we waitin' for?The boat's all ready."

"That castle…" said Mariel.She stood before the crumbled castle, her face expressionless, her mind numb.Slash and Flea had lied to her.She knew that now for sure.This castle was proof of that.She recognized the magical signature as Flea's.

She had heard about the castle while in Porre.Two men had been talking about how strange it was, how it had appeared overnight and fallen just as quickly.Mariel had had to get back home before Slash and Flea missed her (_all the good that did me_, she thought), but she fully intended to go see it for herself.And here she was.

The castle could have been ancient, at least four hundred years old.Moss and lichen covered the old stones and ivy grew rampant and unchecked.Very little was left standing.But shimmering around the ruins, visible only to Mariel's magic-enhanced vision, was the red sheen that was the color of Flea's magic.

"Well, well, well," said a high-pitched voice."Lookit what we gots here."

A second voice said, "What art thou doing here, Mariel?"

Mariel smiled.Without turning, she replied, "I'm here to help.I know who built this, and I know who tore it down."

She heard the sound of claws against rock and suddenly found herself pulled down to a kneeling position, her shirt held tightly in Rat's paws."What do you know, then?" Rat asked menacingly.

"Rat, restrain thyself," Frog chided her as he joined them."Mariel, tell us what thou know of this anomaly."

Mariel stood as Rat released her and brushed the wrinkles out of her shirt."I believe it's someone you know pretty well, Glenn."Rat shot a look at Frog, but he didn't pay any attention to her."A certain magician by the name of Flea."

"Flea!" Frog exclaimed."But Flea is dead!"

"Who's Flea?" Rat asked.

"No, he's not," Mariel said, ignoring Rat's question."And neither is Slash.And Ozzie may be around somewhere, too, but I don't know."

"Who are they?" Rat asked again, a little louder this time.

"I killed them myself," Frog said, also not paying any attention to Rat."If they have truly escaped, what are they doing now?"

"HEY!" Rat squeaked loudly.Frog and Mariel looked at her."What're ya talking about?Who's Flea, Slash, and Ozzie?"

Frog sighed."Forgive me.Ozzie, Slash, and Flea were Magus' generals.Ozzie and Flea were magicians, and Slash was a swordsman."

"I'm not sure what they're doing, but I know they're not dead," Mariel said."Slash and Flea raised me. And now they've betrayed me."She turned away from them to face the fallen castle again.

A familiar voice in Frog's head told him to trust Mariel.It sounded tired._Doreen?_ He thought.He heard a sleepy affirmative._Tell me what's going on._He didn't get a response.

Rat walked slowly to Mariel and put a paw on her arm."I feel like I know ya, lady.I'm sorry fer ya."She continued walking up to the castle.Frog followed behind her.

"Glenn?"Frog turned to face Mariel."You have no reason to like me and several reasons not to.I was rallying the Mystics to finish my father's work.Don't."She held up a hand as Frog opened his mouth."Don't say a word.Let me finish.I'm not going to do that.I saw something a few minutes ago, as I stood here.Father never wanted to take over the world; he was a victim of circumstance, just like you."

"Frog, you comin'?" Rat yelled.He turned.

"I want to help you," Mariel continued."Please let me."

Frog sighed."Come along, then."He walked toward the castle, Mariel walking behind him.

Rat saw a flash and picked her way over to it.There was something half-buried beneath the rock, just barely visible.Rat moved away a few rocks and pulled a small pin from its hiding place."Nice," she muttered."Hey, check this out."

"That looks rather familiar," said Mariel.

"Tis her majesty's coral pin!" Frog exclaimed, grabbing it.

"That would be why."

"Looks expensive," Rat said, attempting to take it back.

Frog glared at her."We must return this to Leene.But how did it get here…?And why did the knight captain not find it?"

A flash of lightning cut across the sky, followed closely by the crack of thunder, causing Rat to jump.She whimpered slightly.

"Looks like there's a storm coming," Mariel observed.

"Mayhap we should return then?"Frog suggested, looking at Rat who sighed and nodded.

Aside from a sudden downpour, the return to Porre was uneventful.The waves were high, but the little boat skimmed through them as though protected by magic.Rat looked thoughtfully at Mariel, wondering if she was responsible for this.

Back on the mainland, Mariel disappeared with hardly a second glance.Frog left Rat at the entrance to the Broken Knife and walked a whole half-mile before he realized the coral pin was missing and had to go back for it.Surprisingly enough, Rat gave it up without much of a fuss.

It was close to dark by the time Frog, drenched to the bone, arrived back at Guardia.The gate guard was different, but he recognized Frog and let him pass.Since it was dark, he decided to go to his rooms and return the coral pin to Leene in the morning.

He was lost in thought as he walked down the halls, wondering how Leene's coral pin had found it's way to the ruined castle.Because he wasn't paying much attention to where he was going, he nearly crashed into the Queen.

"Oh, forgive me, highness," he apologized."I fear I did not see thee."

Leene smiled."Don't worry about it, Frog.What are you doing here?"

He was about to tell her he was returning her pin when he noticed something strange.She already had it."Erm…tis nothing.No reason."

"Oh, just come for a visit?"

"A-aye.A visit."

"Is something wrong?" She seemed genuinely concerned.Frog shook his head mutely, his mind racing."Alright.Goodnight, Frog."

"And to thee, Leene."As he watched her walk down the hall, his suspicion became resolution."Leene!"

She stopped and turned."Yes?"

"Wert thou not missing thy coral pin?"

Leene tensed."Whatever gave you that…"She trailed off as she saw the real coral pin.Her eyes narrowed, and her voice took a chill tone."Where did you get that?" she asked in a low and menacing voice.

"Thou art not Leene," said Frog."Who art thou?"

"You stupid frog.I knew they should have killed you right off, but they wanted it to seem like an accident."As Leene spoke, her right arm had been changing shape.Now, it wasn't an arm, but a long curving blade.She jabbed at Frog, who blocked with his Masamune.

"What is thy purpose?" he asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she sneered.She swung her arm around and dealt a glancing blow off Frog's breastplate.He staggered backward against the wall and ducked as the sword came around to take his head off.

Swords clashed and metal rang through the air as the two fought.Frog didn't want to kill this pseudo-Leene unless he had to, but she didn't have any such inhibitions.Her face was a twisted mask of rage.She lunged forward, intending to impale Frog below his breastplate, but he jumped over her head and swung Masamune around.The broadside of the blade hit her legs hard, knocking her to the ground with a cry.Frog stepped on her sword-arm as she tried to stand, pinning it to the ground.He put the tip of the Masamune to her throat and she froze.

"Answer me, fiend," he said angrily."Why art thou doing this?"

"That's for me to know," she said.She smiled as they heard the pounding of feet; the guards had been attracted by the sounds of battle. "Always remember Adreagon the doppelganger.I will haunt your dreams."The doppelganger took hold of Masamune's blade with her free hand and drove it through her throat.

Frog gasped and staggered backward, surprised by Adreagon's suicide.He didn't understand her purpose until the guards came hurrying around the corner.They stopped in shock.

The knight captain was the first recover."Sir Frog," he said, striding forward."You are under arrest for the murder of the Queen."Frog shook his head and took a step backwards.

"It isn't the Queen," he told them earnestly."Tis a doppelganger, an imposter."

The knight captain wasn't listening."The sentence for regicide is death by beheading."

The other guards reluctantly took Frog into custody.He pleaded with them to listen and believe him, but to no avail.When they had gone out of sight, the knight captain took the Masamune.He heard an angry buzzing in the back of his head, but he dismissed it as his imagination.He picked up the body of the doppelganger and carried her to the King, still thinking she was the real Queen.


	10. Chapter Ten

ch10

Rat lay staring at the ceiling of the darkened back room.She didn't cry anymore, but she still mourned for Lenny.Gerald had already moved on, of course.To him, Lenny was nothing more than a pet.He was sad, but mostly for Rat.He didn't understand that her boys were her family, her brothers.They understood her better than any human could.

_Better than anyone, in fact.Correct?_

Rat sat bolt upright, her daggers already in her hands."Who said that?" she hissed.

_I did.I'm a friend of a friend._

"What do ya want?" Rat whispered.She looked around apprehensively.

_I want you to go somewhere with me._

"Where are ya?Who are ya?"

_I am wherever I want to be; I am whoever I want to be.But that's neither here nor there.What matters now, is that a certain green frog-faced knight is going to be executed for regicide in four hours._

"What?!" Rat exclaimed.She flinched as Gerald snored and rolled over.__

_Are you coming?_

Five minutes later, Rat was running down the path to the castle, away from the drunken revelry that was the Broken Knife on a weekend.She looked around, wondering if she'd been imagining the voice, or if the speaker would show itself.

"I'm here," said the voice.Rat whirled around to face the strangest creature she'd ever seen.It resembled a lizard with pointy ears and wore a long white robe.

"What on earth are you?" Rat asked slowly.

"A friend of a friend," the creature said again."My name is Doreen."Doreen began leading the way down the road at a quick pace.

"What's up with Frogger?What's re…reg…?" Rat asked worriedly.

"Regicide.They say he killed the Queen.He's to be executed at dawn."

"Frog wouldn't kill nobody what didn't deserve it."

"Oh, she did deserve it.She wasn't the real Queen.But they don't know that."

"Why don't ya tell them, then?"

"They didn't believe Frog; why would they believe me?"

"Hey, wait a minute!" Rat exclaimed, stopping in her tracks.Doreen turned to look at her."How do you know this stuff?"

"I was there," Doreen answered.

"Then why didn't they arrest you, too?"

Doreen smiled and disappeared._They couldn't exactly see me,_ she replied.

Rat looked around."A'right, point taken," she said.She grew nervous when Doreen didn't reappear."You can come out now," she called.She heard laughter behind her and whirled around, both daggers drawn.

"My, you're a bit uptight, aren't you?" Doreen remarked, walking past to lead the way again.

Rat swallowed a scathing remark and continued to follow Doreen.

_I wonder how Frog's doing,_ said someone.

_I'm sure he's fine, Mune,_ said someone else._He's gotten out of worse places._

_True, but he had friends to help him then,_ Mune argued.

_True._Masa sighed and cursed his inability to do anything.But the Masamune was sheathed, effectively trapping Masa and Mune inside it._I wish this loser would listen to us._

_That'd be nice, wouldn't it?_

_What are you boys doing?_ A third voice entered the conversation.

_Doreen?_ Mune asked incredulously.

_I thought you were asleep!_ Masa exclaimed.

_I'm awake now, boys,_ she assured them._Get ready.We're going to spring Glenn._

Rat snuck up behind a guard and hit him on the head with the handle of her dagger.He slumped down to the ground, unconscious.Doreen had disappeared again as Rat entered the castle and was still nowhere to be found.

Rat peeked through a doorway and saw the knight captain staring out a window.He didn't seem to be paying much attention to anything.Leaning against the wall next to him was Frog's sword.Doreen had told Rat to find the Masamune, but she hadn't said anything about it being guarded by the second greatest swordsman in the kingdom.

Rat tiptoed forward, hoping she might be able to knock him down and run.She didn't really expect to be able to defeat him in a fair fight.She had reached a small desk and was thinking she might actually succeed when he spoke."Take one more step, and you'll be looking at your insides."He turned around, pulling his sword from its sheath.His face registered a moment of surprise, then he smirked."Why, hello there.Never thought I'd see you again."

"You said later," Rat told him with more bravado than she felt."I's just coming to collect."

"Very well, then.Defend yourself."He lunged forward, but Rat scrambled out of the way, succeeding in getting past him.She grabbed the Masamune and ran out the door, but she was slower because she could only run on three paws with the sword in one hand.

The knight captain grabbed her tail and dragged her back toward him.She twisted around and bit him on the hand.He yelled and let go, but Rat didn't run very far before he stepped on her tail.She squealed as the bone crunched painfully, and her tail felt like it would pull out.Her daggers fell from her hands as she hit the floor, leaving her weaponless.

_Draw the sword,_ Doreen said.

Rat didn't waste time thinking. As the knight captain raised his sword, she drew Masamune from its sheath.

_Ready, Masa?_

_Always, Mune._

Rat didn't have time to think about the two new voices.She felt something take over her body.Without commanding it to happen, she twisted around and swung the blade at the knight captain, causing him to jump back.She jumped to her feet and lunged forward, forcing him against the wall.

He brought his sword up and caught Masamune; the blades locked at the hilt.The knight grinned.He was stronger than Rat, even though Masa and Mune possessed her.With the blades locked, he could use his strength to defeat her.He forced her to the ground.

Light glinted off one of her daggers.She could just see it in her peripheral vision.

_Now, that's an idea,_ said Masa.Controlled by Masa, Rat grabbed the dagger with her tail, ignoring the pain, and plunged it into the knight captain's side.He yelled as it cut through his flesh and dropped his sword.Rat staggered from her sudden release from both the knight captain and Masa and Mune and scrambled out the door.She didn't stop running until she tripped over her feet and fell sprawling.Fortunately, no one else was around.

She lay panting for a minute until Doreen's voice intruded in her mind._You've got ten minutes to save him.Get going!_Rat gasped and staggered to her feet.She could rest after she'd saved Frog.


	11. Chapter Eleven

ch11

Frog had long stopped trying to convince the guards of his innocence.They weren't listening.They thought he'd gone insane.They still believed that the doppelganger was the real Queen.Frog was worried about the real Leene.According to a story he'd heard once, doppelgangers killed the ones they mimicked.

There was nothing he could do now, though.He'd always expected to die young, but he'd hoped he'd be able to die human.

"Any last words?" asked the executioner.It crossed Frog's mind to tell them everything, to tell them all he was really Glenn.He shook his head.

The executioner put a black bag over his head and forced him to kneel with his neck across the block.He closed his eyes, though he couldn't see anyway, and prepared to be sent to the afterlife.

"What the-" someone exclaimed.

Rat charged into the room and launched herself at the executioner, knocking him to the ground.She cut the rope holding Frog's hands together and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him out of the room as he pulled the bag off his head.

"Rat!" he exclaimed. "But how…?"

"You got weird friends, frog boy," she answered, giving him the Masamune.

They turned a corner and nearly crashed into several soldiers.Frog turned, but they couldn't go back the way came, either."Trapped like rats," said Rat ironically.

Mariel sat in an inn in Truce, wondering what to do next.She couldn't go home because she didn't have one.Slash and Flea would know she knew they'd betrayed her, and the people in her old village wouldn't exactly welcome her with open arms.She put her head in hands and was about to give in to despair when a female voice intruded on her thoughts.

_Can you teleport?_

"S'been nice knowing ya, Frogger," said Rat.

"Likewise, milady Rat."

The soldiers were about to grab them when a blinding flash lit the hallway.When the light died down, Mariel stood in front of them.She pointed at the soldiers and said, "Fire!"In response, the temperature in the hall rose dramatically and the unlucky guards in front burst into flame.

Someone behind them yelled, "Burn the witch!"The other rank of soldiers started forward, but Mariel pointed at them.They stopped dead, expectant.But instead of casting Fire again, she said casually, "Don't press your luck.Now, get out of our way."Fearful, the guards obliged and the three ran past them.

They ran from the castle pursued by soldiers.But finally, thanks to Mariel's magic, they outran their pursuers.As they stood gasping, Mariel said, "Glenn?Committing regicide…?I'm so proud.Our little tadpole's…growing up."

Frog glared at her."Hardly," he said."Twasn't the Queen.Twas a doppelganger."

"A whosywassit?" Rat asked.

Mariel swallowed in a futile attempt to wet her parched throat."A doppelganger is a shape shifter that steals other creatures' forms by killing them."

"Then Queen Leene truly is dead," Frog said hopelessly.

"Not necessarily.The really strong ones don't have to kill.Did it say its name?"

"Adreagon."

"Really?You beat Adreagon?" Mariel was impressed."Well then, you really did commit regicide.Adreagon was the most powerful doppelganger in existence, as well as their queen."

"Look, that's all well and good," Rat interrupted them."But I gots a question.Couple of them actually.First, how didja get there, Mariel?"

"Glenn's friend, Doreen came for me," she answered."I can teleport myself, so I let her show me where to go."

"Oh.And who's Doreen?"

In response, Frog pulled the Hero Medal from under his breastplate where it hung on a chain around his neck."Doreen is the spirit of this, the Badge of Courage or the Hero Medal.She is the older sister of Masa and Mune, who are the spirits of mine blade."

"I thought they were only a legend…" Mariel said quietly.

"Hey!" Rat exclaimed angrily."Yeah! About Masa and Mune.They…possessed me or something!"

_We're sorry,_ said Mune.

_There wasn't time for anything else,_ Masa finished.

Rat held her head in her paws."What is with all these people TALKING TO ME IN MY HEAD?!"Mariel collapsed in helpless laughter, and even Frog couldn't keep from laughing.Rat glared at both of them.

A crash in the bushes cause them all to jump, but it was only a rabbit.Frog shook his head."We should find shelter," he said."We cannot allow them to find us."

"I have a small room at the inn in Truce," Mariel volunteered.

Rat started walking toward the village."Long as there's a bed, I's happy."

"The loss of our dear Queen is shattering, indeed," said the King of Thieves."Too bad they let the fiend who killed her get away."

"Oh, give it up," said Slash."You didn't care about Adry beyond what she could do for you."

"Oh, and I suppose you did, hm?"

"As a matter of fact-" Slash started forward, but Flea put a restraining hand on his arm.

"Not now, Slash," he said."Later."Slash grumbled, but he backed down.

"Your Highness, with the Queen dead, will your plans still succeed?" asked Garret.

"Of course, they will, Garret," he answered, dismissing the question as unimportant with a wave of his hand."They'll simply have to be changed."

Mariel's "small room" turned out to be the best luxury suite the inn had to offer.Mariel collapsed on the bed, followed by Rat who quickly jumped back up holding her tail. "Owowowowow!"

"What's wrong?" asked Mariel.

Rat growled."Stupid knight captain jerk stepped on my tail."

"Allow me," Frog said.He held her tail loosely and closed his eyes, muttering quietly.Rat jumped as a blue glow surrounded his hands and transferred itself to the injured part of her tail, bringing with it a pleasant heat.As the light disappeared, he stepped back, and her tail was healed.

"Uh…thanks…" Rat said.

"You know healing magic?" Mariel asked him, genuinely interested.Frog nodded."You'll have to teach me sometime."

"Frog…?" Rat said.

"Yes?"

"What's with your reflection?"

Frog realized he was standing in front of mirror.He looked at his reflection."What…?" he started to ask what she was talking about, but he changed his mind."Canst thou see that?"

"See what?" asked Mariel, looking between the two of them.

"Frog's got a human reflection," Rat answered.

"Does he now?" Mariel couldn't see anything, but she didn't doubt that it was true."So, I take it, then, that Glenn never told you his story."

"What story?"

Frog sighed and glanced at his reflection again.He lowered his head."Twas a long time ago.When I was a young boy, I was orphaned.Because of my odd appearance, I was made a fool of by the other boys."

"Cause you was a frog?"

"Nay.I was human, back then."

"You was a human?!"

"Don't interrupt," Mariel snapped."I've never heard this story before."

Frog smiled slightly.The pair fought like siblings."Thank you, Mariel.As I said, I was taunted as a child, oft times to the point of being physically beaten by the other children."

"Why didn't ya kick their a-"Mariel thunked Rat on the head, effectively shutting her up.

"I was afraid to.I was quite the coward back then.Only one person was mine friend, and his name was Cyrus.He didn't protect me, but he tried to teach me to fight back.And I learned, but I was still too afraid to use my mine knowledge.He taught me first to wrestle, then later how to swordfight.In time, I became better even than he.

"Cyrus became a knight and convinced me to be his squire.He gained in prestige as the world's greatest swordsman.Women flocked to his side, and I was left always on the edge.No one knew my name.

"One day, Cyrus decided to find Masamune.It would be a dangerous journey, of course, but I was quite eager.We won the Badge of Courage from the Frog King and climbed Mount Denedaro.We found the Masamune, but awaiting us at the summit was Magus and his general Ozzie.

"Cyrus fought them, but to no avail.Magus killed him.I was left to face him alone, but I was too frightened.I tried to run, but Magus cast his magic on me, turning me into thou see before thee."

After a few moments of silence, Rat said, "Dang.You had it rough."

"Aye.It hath been a hard road."

"So that's why you speak like you do," Mariel remarked."You're too ashamed of what happened to let anyone guess."

Frog sighed and changed the subject."We should rest and plan our strategy.We must find out who is behind this…conspiracy."


	12. Chapter Twelve

ch12

Quick Author Note: I changed part of chapter eleven, so you all might want to re-read the conference with Slash, Flea, Garret, and His Majesty.

_ _

_The wind howled outside the house, the storm rising to a fever pitch.Mina clasped her hands to her breasts, awaiting her love.He had never been this late before.Mina was worried he might have been caught in the storm.Perhaps he was laying somewhere, even now, crying her name, his body wracked with pain._

_She looked out the window, hoping, but not expecting, to see him.But there, coming up the path, was a figure.It had its head bent down in a futile attempt to escape the rain, but it was recognizable._

_Mina flung herself into the storm, oblivious to the downpour that drenched her instantly, and flung herself into her lover's arms.He welcomed her with all his love, but something was different.She smelled on the air, under the rain, a new scent.It was a woman's perfume.She backed away from him, shaking her head in denial.The one she loved the most, the one she trusted the most, had betrayed her._

Flea slammed the book shut and looked at Slash."She knows."

"What?" Slash asked incredulously."How did she find out?"

"I don't know," Flea answered, looking at the book."But I doubt that she left this here on this particular page by accident.No, she knows."

"But what are we going to do?Without her, the Mystics will revolt.They follow her even more loyally than they did Magus."

"I know, I know.I wish I knew why."Flea bit the knuckle of his first finger, deep in thought."There are only imps living in the castle.We'll tell everyone else that she's sick and threaten all the imps who might know she's gone."

Slash nodded."Sounds good.I'll take care of the imps; you handle the army."Flea watched Slash leave the library and took one last look at the book before leaving himself.

In an attempt to finish as soon as possible, Slash gathered all the imps in the castle into a single room where he addressed them."Now, you all know why you're here, I'm sure," he began, not realizing that of the twenty imps, only three of them had noticed Mariel's absence."Mariel has gone missing.Now, if any of you tell that to anyone outside this room, every one of you dies.Got it?"The imps gulped and nodded."Good."Slash nodded once and walked out of the room.

The imps sat around for a few minutes looking at each other.Finally, one spoke."Mariel's gone?"

"Yep," said another."I was suppose to take her lunch and she was gone."

"I was suppose to take her breakfast, and she was gone then, too," said a third.

"Well," said a fourth, not wanting to be outdone."I saw her leave."

The poor imp was instantly bombarded by questions.How had she left?When was it?Why hadn't he told anyone?Finally, one imp stood and walked to where Slash had been standing.He cleared his throat for silence, but he didn't get it.He cleared his throat a little louder, but everyone continued talking at once.Finally fed up, he shouted, "Quiet!" Any listener could have heard a pin drop.

The imp nodded decisively, imitating Slash, and said, "You know what we have to do, right?"

"Smile and nod?"

"Act like nothing happened?"

"Run around screaming?"

"No, no, and no," said the apparent leader."We have to find her.We have to know why she left, or if she was kidnapped."

"But Slash said he kill us if we told anyone!"

"Anyone outside this room.That's what he said.So, we'll bring someone into this room."

The imps looked at each other nodding.That was the best plan.They hurried to find the best trackers the Mystic army had to offer.The imps may have been weak cowards, but they were devious, weak cowards.

Rat peeked carefully out the window of Mariel's room.They were on the third floor of the inn, but she didn't want to take the chance that someone might see her.There was a small bar across the street, and a suspicious looking man had just walked in.Rat could just see him sitting near the door, possibly waiting for someone.

"Is he still there?" asked Mariel.She was sitting on the bed, reading.

Rat lashed her tail."Yep," she answered in agitation."Been…what?Two hours now?"

"Something like that."

"Could he be waiting for us?" Frog asked, joining Rat at the window."He appeareth to be watching the inn's door."

"You can see that from here?"

"Frogs have superb vision," Mariel answered for him."Hearing, too, if I'm not mistaken.Not as good as Glenn's, but I theorize that his senses are relative to his size."Frog looked at Mariel, who smiled."Know your enemy, as I always say."

"And am I thy enemy?"

"Once."

Rat shook her head at the two of them.When they had first met, Frog had seemed rather distant and cold to Mariel.But now, they acted like old friends.Rat could feel something more in that short exchange than words alone, but she couldn't place it.It made her feel a little jealous, as though she would always be on the outside.But that wasn't a change from anything; she'd always been on the outside, even with her rat friends.

"That's enough, you two," she said a little more sharply than she intended."We gots to figure out how to get outta here."

"Mariel, canst thou cast illusions?" Frog asked, back in business mode.

"Oh, I could only dream," was the exasperated reply."Flea never taught me how.He said it wasn't something I would ever need to know."She scoffed.

"Then we shall have to find another way."

Rat sighed."Why don't ya ask Doreen?She oughtta be able to, right?"Frog was silent for a moment before shaking his head.

"She will not answer."

"Well, can't ya teleport, Mariel?"

"I can teleport myself.Last time I tried to take anyone with me, we were both trapped in the void.Flea had to come rescue us."

"Well, then, that ain't going to work, is it?"Rat's whiskers drooped; she was out of ideas.She looked out the window again."Hey, that guy's gone!"

"So he is," Frog confirmed."Mayhap he was not waiting for us after all."

"Or maybe he's gone to report to someone…"

"Well, if he's gone to tell his boss we's here, we need to leave, now."

Mariel closed her book with a sigh."And go where?"

"Frog, you gots a place, don't ya?" Rat asked, leaving the window.

"Aye, but it isn't exactly hidden."

"It isn't?"

"Several people know I live there."

"That won't work."Mariel stood and stretched, wincing as her joints popped from being in one position for so long.She sighed."Too bad we can't go back ho…"She broke off suddenly.

"What?"Frog and Rat both asked.

"Home…might be the one place they won't find us…"

"Don't Slash and Flea live there?" Rat asked skeptically.

"No, no, no.Not that home.The place I lived before Flea found me.It's so small that most people overlook it.It's on the beach near the Magic Cave, but Slash and Flea found me trying to get away.They wouldn't expect me to go back.Of course, the people there hate me, but I can wear my cloak.But we'll have to disguise the two of you somehow."

Frog closed his eyes, trying once again to talk to Doreen or Masa and Mune.But the three siblings were silent except for a slight buzzing in the back of his head, signifying that they were talking to each other.He wondered what they were talking about.

"You magic users," Rat said scornfully."Ye're always thinkin' magic's the end-all solution to ever'thing."

"Do you have a better idea?" Mariel asked scornfully.Rat grinned, showing her pointed teeth.

The King of Thieves was rather nervous.There had been no sign of Mariel in two days, Adreagon was dead, Frog had escaped prison with the help of that over-grown rodent Rat and vanished, and Garret, who had gone looking for them a few hours earlier, had yet to return.His Highness sighed and began pour a glass of bourbon, then changed his mind and drank it from the bottle.A hard knock on the door caused him to start and drop the bottle; it shattered on the desk, sending bourbon in all directions.The King cursed and jumped back, but it already spilled into his lap.He sighed again before calling, "Come in!"

Garret entered nervously and bowed."Your Highness, I have located Frog and Rat at the inn across from the Gilded Dove."

"Ah, wonderful," the King said jovially, brightening considerably.

Garret relaxed since the King seemed appeased."Yes, Your Highness.They are on the third floor.I don't believe they realized I could see them.Flea's sight-enhancing spell worked quite well."

"Good, good.We'll send someone after them, then.If we can catch them now, I can turn them in to Guardia for a reward and stop them meddling in my affairs once and for all."The King laughed loud and long, bordering on mania.Garret joined in.Although he didn't think it was very funny, he always tried to be as agreeable as possible.The King liked to kill people who didn't suit him.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

Garret stopped at the door to the inn and looked around at the men he had brought with him.There were three of them, and they were battle-hardened warriors.They had been enlisted as soldiers in the Great War.When the battle ended, they were released without so much as a shilling and turned to a life of crime.

The three men nodded their readiness, so Garret took hold of the door handle.He was about to open it when it opened rather forcefully from the other side, and a drunk man in a heavy, dark blue cloak nearly stumbled into him.

"Hey, watch it!" exclaimed one of the men, shoving the drunk and nearly sending him sprawling.

"Sorry," he croaked, recovering his balance.Garret motioned his men before him; as he followed them, he could almost have sworn that he heard a high-pitched voice say, "Watch it!Can't you walk straight?"He ignored it, deciding it was his imagination, and entered the inn.Had he stayed, he might have heard that croaking voice reply, "Not with thee standing on mine head.Now, quiet, before we are heard."

Rat continued to mutter incoherently as they made their way out of Truce, causing several people to stare and grumble about drunks in general.A policeman standing on a corner as they staggered past started after them with the intent of arresting them.

_What are you doing?_

The policeman shook his head, wondering what he was doing.

_You're not doing anything.You saw nothing._

After all, he hadn't seen anything.There was nothing to see except the usual crowd going about their business.He blinked, trying to clear away the hazy fog in front of his eyes.If he heard a woman laugh faintly, then it must only have been someone in the building behind him.

Miraculously, or perhaps magically, Frog and Rat were well out of town by the time Frog finally lost his balance and fell, sending Rat tumbling into a tree."Oh, I think I broke my head…" Rat groaned, standing shakily and pulling off Mariel's cloak.

"Forgive me," Frog said, rubbing his arm where he fell on it."I lost my balance."

Rat touched her head gingerly."Sah'right."

"Rat, my money."

"What about it?" she asked, dripping with innocence.

"Return it."

Laughter high above their heads caused them to look up, but it was only Mariel, who had materialized sitting in the tree seconds earlier."Aw, let her keep it," she said."You do owe her for sending her into this tree."

Rat lashed her tail and nodded."Yah, dat's right.You owes me."

Frog rolled his eyes."Very well."

Mariel disappeared in a flash of light to reappear standing between them."I believe it's time we hit the road, lady and gentlefrog," she said."We shouldn't need to disguise you once we get there, Glenn.If nothing has changed, and knowing the people there, nothing has, then no one knows what you look like.They'll probably mistake you both for Mystics, so you might get a very cool reception and maybe a few rocks thrown.But they're pretty much too afraid to do anything directly to any of us."

"Humanists," Rat muttered."Thinking they's at the top of the food chain."

"Humans are at the top of the food chain."

"That don't mean they gots to rub it in."

Frog just laughed at them as the debate continued.

Garret and his three men exited the inn empty-handed.He couldn't imagine how Frog had known they were coming, but the room he and Rat had occupied was completely devoid of anything proving they had even been there.

Garret was very nervous now.He was quickly proving his uselessness to His Highness, and it wouldn't be much longer before the King decided not to tolerate it any longer.He toyed with the notion of not going back, but he knew that would only make things worse.

A shadowy figure pulled back into the alley it occupied to converse with its comrade.The two freelancers darted through the alley and out of town to report to their superior, the giant minotaur, General Archimhan.

Archimhan was waiting for them at the spot Frog, Rat, and Mariel had stood not fifteen minutes earlier."General, sir," said one of the freelancers."The thieves appear to have given up on the search, at least temporarily.We saw them headed back to that tavern the King of Thieves occupies."

"Very good," he answered."Send one of the bats to spy on them, just in case they did find something in there."The tracker nodded and went to find a bat who wasn't doing anything important.The other freelancer watched Archimhan kneel to study the three sets of tracks.

"Those are kind of big for rat tracks, aren't they?" she remarked.

"Indeed," the General answered."But that's exactly what they are.It appears this rat walks on two legs, as well."

"Someone else got on Magus' bad side, do you think?"

"I'm not certain.But I'll tell you this."He stood and dusted off his legs."If Milady is in any danger from either this creature or whomever these other tracks belong to, I will personally rip their spines out through their throats."He walked back to where the rest of the tracking party stood waiting and ordered them to move out.The freelancer, though a bit embarrassed by the General's sudden display of passion, nodded agreement to herself.She knew that any of them would have followed Mariel into the jaws of Death itself, the General most of all.

The word "tiny" could have been used to describe the town and still been an overstatement.The town had a general store that doubled as a small tavern right at the city limits.A dirt road ran straight until it was forced to go around a building that sat in the middle of town, then continued going straight.The small building turned out to be a school, which boasted the town courthouse on the second floor.Houses that could more properly be called huts lined both sides of the road.

"Yeesh, no wonder you was runnin' fer yer life to get away from here," Rat muttered incredulously."When you said it was small, I didn't realize you meant mic…micro…"

"Microscopic?" Frog ventured.

"Yah, dat."Rat nodded.

Mariel clicked her tongue."Now, you know why I can't stand this place.That," she pointed to a surprisingly large, yet dilapidated, house on the other side of town, "is the only place I have ever considered worth my time.That's where mother and father lived with me.Father used to be the richest man in town.We lived in luxury there."She sighed."I wish I could remember it better, but I was only five when he left."

Two old men sitting on a porch in front of the general store stared at them as the went past."You know what's wrong with the world today?" one asked loudly.

"What's that?" the other said.

"Too many damn Mystics wanderin' 'round where they please."

Both Rat and Mariel stiffened, and Rat lashed her tail."Calm thyselves," Frog muttered.

"Humanists," Rat responded quietly.Mariel stopped dead and fought down urge to incinerate both the men and the store behind them by reminding herself that she was older and more mature now.It wasn't helping much.

"Is there an inn hither?" Frog asked, hoping to distract her.

She took a deep breath before answering."Yes, at the other end of town," she finally answered, her voice tight with remembered anger."Remind me again whose idea it was to come here."

"Thine."

"Oh, yes.That's right."She clenched her hands into fists so tightly that her nails drew blood from her palms.

"Ye gots a bit of an anger control problem, don't ya?" Rat asked.

A few seconds later, Mariel chuckled slightly and unclenched her fists."Just a little bit," she responded."Well, m'dears, welcome to the village of George."

"George?" Frog asked skeptically.

"Yes, the man who founded this sorry excuse for a hamlet was named George.No one ever knew his last name because his mother was a prostitute, and he wasn't about to go by her name.So, the place got called George."

"That is the single most pathetic thing I's ever hearded," Rat laughed.

"'Hearded'?" Mariel asked.

"Yah, what about it?" Rat demanded.

"You need to work on your grammar."

"My grammar is fine, thank you very much."Rat sniffed arrogantly."And what about Frogger?He talks weird."

Frog groaned."Oh, do not pull me into this."

Mariel ignored him."Yes, but he speaks in a dialect that is accepted as a form of speech, albeit an outdated one.You, on the other hand, simply use street slang."

Rat opened her mouth to reply, but Frog interrupted her."Both of thee still thy tongues!Thou art making a scene."Rat and Mariel looked around, finally noticing that several people were staring.

"We's gonna finish this later," Rat said, glaring at Mariel.

"Fine by me."She smiled, glad that her hood kept anyone from noticing.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

"You found nothing?" His Highness roared."Nothing at all?"

"N-no, sir," Garret stammered, truly terrified.

"What am I paying you for?" the King exclaimed, conveniently forgetting that he didn't pay Garret at all.Garret chose not to answer."Why do I even let you live?"

"Your Majesty," Garret begged."Please give me one more chance.I won't fail you again."

"You had better not.Now, get out of my sight!But don't go too far."

The thief scrambled out the door and fell into a chair in the tavern proper.He put his head into his hands and wondered how he was going to get himself out of this.

As the three travelers continued on their way across the village of George, four girls giggled at each other."What an ugly frog," said one.

"Oh, I know, Judy.But I'd rather deal with the frogman than that giant mouse," said a second.

"But, Lisa, frogs are slimy and icky," Judy replied.

"Well, I don't know about any of you, but I'd rather deal with both of them than that person in the cloak."

"What are you talking about, Margret?" said the last girl, whose name was Andrea.

"Well, think about it.As ugly as those two are, the cloaked one must be horrifying.Why else would he be wearing a cloak?"

The women continued chattering in much the same vein until Judy's older brother, and Margret's husband, Dave joined them."What are you girls talkin' about?" he asked as Margret stood and threw her arms around him.

"Just those strangers over yonder," Judy answered.

Dave frowned."And just what do they think they're doin', walkin' through our town like they own it?"The women giggled.

"Sick'em, Dave," Lisa laughed.

Margret grinned."Yeah, Davy.Go tell'em to get out of our home." Dave grinned back at her and headed off to intercept the travelers.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" he shouted as he stepped into their path.Several people stopped what they were doing to watch the spectacle about to place.

"We do naught, sir," Frog answered.

"You don't what?"

"We do nothing," Mariel translated with an amused look at Frog.

"Yah, we ain't doin' nething to ya, so jus' get outta our way," Rat snapped.She lashed her tail for emphasis.

"Yeah, well, uh, you Mystic trash don't belong here," he said.Mariel stiffened.

"Sir, please remove thyself.We only wish to remain the night and shall keep to ourselves."

"You know, I'm sick of you thinkin' you're better than us just 'cause you talk weird," said another man, joining Dave.

"Yeah, get out of our town!" someone shouted.

"Mystics go home!"

"This is not good," Frog muttered.

"Too scared, huh?" Rat said to Mariel.

"Things change," she replied shortly.

The first rock hit Rat in the arm.She automatically reached for her daggers and cursed as she remembered she'd lost them.Instead, she displayed her claws and looked around.Anticipating a battle, Frog drew the Masamune.

The second rock sailed toward Mariel then stopped, hanging in midair."I think not," she said and pulled back her hood.The villagers stepped back fearfully, remembering the day she had left.

"Mariel," Dave muttered.

Mariel drew herself up, managing to tower over the villagers despite the fact that she was shorter than most of them."You will call me Magus," she said coldly.Frog looked at her strangely; it suddenly hit him that, although they were different, she was definitely her father's daughter.He'd never seen her like this, not even in the dungeon of the castle.There, she had been quite casual, even lethargic, despite the life or death situation.Here, she was truly angry.

Her eyes glowed a fiery red; though they were always red, they now seemed even more so.Her hair and cloak rippled slightly, blown by some unfelt wind, much as her father's had when he was gathering and casting magic.The rock she held suspended in front of her face suddenly rocketed toward the man who had thrown it, hitting him so hard it smashed his nose beyond repair and cracked his skull.

Mariel sneered."Don't mess with me.You remember the day I left?Well, I'm a thousand times stronger now.I could kill you all with less than a thought."

"Mariel, please, calm thyself," Frog begged quietly.

Time seemed frozen for several seconds as the villagers weighed their chances of defeating Mariel.The spell was broken when a crossbow bolt hit Mariel's arm.She yelled and grabbed at it.

"Death to the Mystics!" yelled the man who had shot it.

"Death to the Mystics' enemies!" yelled a booming voice.The travelers whirled around to face the new arrivals.

"Archy!" Mariel exclaimed.

General Archimhan nodded to her and displayed his mace.The rest of the tracking party did likewise, showing that they carried all manner of weapons.He yelled, "We are trained warriors; you are nothing but villagers with pitchforks!Even without Milady Magus' magic, you do not stand a chance against us.Surrender!"

"Yes," Mariel agreed."Surrender and we will let you live."

The villagers backed away, entering either their homes or the homes of their friends, whichever was closest.Within minutes, the street was devoid of life save for Mariel, Frog, Rat, and the tracking party.

Mariel allowed one of trackers, a naga-ette, to pull the bolt from her arm and wrap a tight bandage around the wound."What are you-OW!"

"Sorry," said the naga-ette.

"Don't worry about it.What are you doing here, Archy?"

"Looking for you, Milady," he answered."And these are friends?" he asked, looking suspiciously at Frog.

"Yes.This is Rat," she answered, gesturing."And this is Glenn."

"Milady, this is the frog who slew you father."

"He didn't kill him, and I know."

"But-"

Mariel's eyes flashed."He's a friend.Would you like to argue the case?"

The General shook his head."No, Milady."

"Good.Frog, Rat, this General Archimhan.He's the second highest ranking officer under Slash and Flea."

"Izzat a fact?" Rat said, narrowing her eyes.

"Why art thou following Mariel then?" asked Frog.

"You will address her as Milady Magus, worm," Archimhan growled.

"Enough, Archy.Answer the question."

"Slash and Flea found you missing.They told us you were sick and threatened the imps with death if they revealed the truth.The imps asked us to find out if you were kidnapped."

"Well, as you can see, I left of my own accord.You may now return and tell Slash and Flea that I will fight them tooth and nail if I have to."

"Milady, truly.I am not here because of them."Seeing that none of the three believed him, he drew a small dagger from his belt and cut his palm."I would follow you to the ends of the earth, Milady," he said quietly.

Mariel smiled and threw her arms around him, wincing at the pain in her left shoulder."Thanks, Archy," she whispered."Frog, come here.Can you heal his hand?"

Frog hesitated, but wordless prompting by Doreen finally caused him to sheath the Masamune and help Archimhan.

Several hours later, nightfall found them all sitting around a campfire behind the Magic Cave sharing stories like old friends.Mariel sighed happily as she looked around the tracking party.The imps had obviously spared nothing to get the best to find her.She leaned against Archimhan's shoulder in contentment.

"Hey!" someone shouted."Who took my knife?"

Frog called out, "Rat, return it!"

"Dang you, Frogman!"Mariel snickered as Rat grudgingly gave it back to the freelancer.

"You keep odd company, Milady," Archimhan muttered.

"Yeah, I guess so," she agreed."Listen, do you know anything?Has Flea said anything?"

"As a matter of fact, yes."He shifted position slightly."Slash and Flea are working for the King of Thieves."

"That low-down, no-good, sorry excuse for a member of the human race?" Rat, who had been close enough to hear, asked.

"You've met him, I see," Archimhan laughed.

"Dang jerk, he is," Rat agreed."Hear he's gots a place somewhere in Truce."

"Yes, he lives and works in a small tavern called the King's Ear.His first in command is a big man named Garret."

"Yah, I met him, too.Ugly son of a gun."

"Flea once told me he'd been burned by Antipode."

"Wazzat?"

"Tis a spell which is caused when one combines fire and ice," Frog replied, joining the conversation.

"You know of it?" Archimhan asked, tilting his head.

"Aye, I once traveled with people who knew the spell."

"Wish I could do that…" Mariel said wistfully."Wish I had someone who'd teach me magic instead of just those parlor tricks Flea taught me."

"Milady, the Mystics are behind you a hundred percent," Archimhan said."Say the word, and we will tear Slash and Flea limb from limb."

"I know you will, Archy."Mariel stood and gestured for silence."You are all I have, right now," she announced to assembled party."You are my army.You may not be enough to take over the world, but you'll be perfect for the overthrow of Slash and Flea.We return to the Mystics tomorrow, and we will be victorious."The Mystics cheered.Mariel yelled over them, "And after that, we will destroy this King of Thieves who thinks he can use us for his own gain!"

"Here, here!" Rat yelled."Death to the Thieves' Guild!"

Frog sighed.He didn't like where this was going.

_My, my.They seem eager, don't they?_

He jumped._Doreen?_

_The one and only, Master._

_I thought thou called me Glenn._

_You are Master.You once told me to call you by your name, although you don't remember.Shall I call you Glenn, then?_

_I would prefer it._

_Very well, Glenn._

_I also thought thou were not talking to me._

_Would you prefer my silence?_

_Nay, I do not mean that._

Doreen laughed._I know, Glenn.Listen, I know they seem bloodthirsty to you, but you have to make allowances.Their culture is different than yours.They have been oppressed for centuries, certainly as long as I can remember.Banished to the Mountain of Woe, hunted like animals, kept as slaves, then humans made war on them._

_I thought-_

_Magus did not start the war.I may have been asleep, but I was still aware.The man you revere as King started the war.Janus was nothing more than Ozzie's pawn, a useful tool with powers beyond his comprehension._

"Hey, Frogger, why so quiet?" Rat interrupted their conversation.

_Remember, Glenn.Never assume that what you see or feel is real._

"Tis naught, Rat," he answered, troubled.

"Talkin' to Doreen?"

"Aye, I was."He sighed."We should sleep.We will doubtless have an early start."

Rat yawned her agreement and curled up into a ball right next to him.He croaked quietly in amusement and lay down as well, using her for a pillow.Mariel smiled at them and sighed mournfully before falling asleep herself."Lucky frog," Archimhan whispered with a loving glance at Mariel.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

"Master Flea!Sir Slash!"One of the few Mystics still loyal to Slash and Flea charged into the library where Flea was attempting to use his scrying crystal to locate Mariel.He looked up in exasperation.

"Oh, what is it?"

"Mariel's been found!"

Slash, who had been slouched down in a chair, half-dead with boredom, sat up straight."Well, that's good news.Where is she?"

"Storming the front gates!"

"What?!" Flea exclaimed.He stood suddenly and knocked his chair over.A loud crash resonated through the castle, drowning out anything else he might have had to say.

"What was that?" Slash asked as it died down.

"Probably the front door being knocked down," the Mystic answered.

Flea cursed and teleported himself and Slash from the library to the main hall, where Frog, Rat, and Mariel waited.

"Mariel, what is going on here?" Flea demanded.

"You will call me Magus," Mariel said coldly."What's it look like, Flea?For charges of treason against the Mystics and conspiring with my enemies, you are to be put to death."Frog, on her right, and Rat, on her left, drew their weapons.Rat decided she liked the feel of the new daggers Archimhan had given her.

"Is that right?" Flea sneered."And what purpose will that serve?You know the Mystics will revolt."

Mariel laughed, a cold sound that caused even Slash and Flea to shudder, at least on the inside."Revolt?You fool, no they won't.General Archimhan goes even now to inform them of how you betrayed us."

The Mystic who had brought the message now entered the room.Flea glanced at it."You don't honestly think we'll just give up without a fight do you?Slash, take care of Sir Froggy.You," he nodded to the Mystic, "handle the rodent.I'll take care of Mariel."He nodded to her and the two of them disappeared.

Frog had no time to worry about where Flea had taken Mariel because Slash was practically on top of him.He jumped into the air and came down with both feet on Slash's head.The swordsman staggered under the impact but didn't fall.He grinned maliciously and drew the Slasher.

"You're gonna hurt, Frogman," he sneered.

Frog shook his head."I have beaten thee four times in the four times we have fought.Art thou so certain thou canst break mine record?"

Slash narrowed his eyes and charged forward.Flame surrounded his sword as he swept it toward Frog and yelled, "Flamestrike!"Frog caught the sword with Masamune, but the force still knocked him backwards."Ha!" Slash yelled."Not so cocky now, are you?"

Frog jumped to his feet and half-closed his eyes.He croaked and a bubble of water formed above his head, then shot toward Slash, hitting him full in the front and knocking him into the stairs behind him."Mayhap I should be asking thee that question, Sir Slush."

"That's 'Slash', you stupid amphibian!"Slash charged forward again.The two men clashed swords in a display that would have made master fencers envious.It didn't last long, however; Slash's sword bit deeply into Frog's left arm.Frog cried out and dropped the Masamune.

"Now, you die, you stupid frog," Slash said.He raised his sword."This is for Adreagon!"He brought the Slasher down, intending to cleave Frog in two.

Frog jumped backward as Slash's sword bit through the air he had previously been occupying and jumped over his head.He retrieved his sword, but, being left handed, he was now at a disadvantage.He cast Water again, but Slash managed to dodge it this time.

Slash jabbed at Frog, who barely managed to counter.He pressed forward as he attacked until he had backed Frog into the wall."_Now_, you die," Slash amended his earlier statement.Again, he raised his sword above his head, then dropped it numbly.He looked downward to see Masamune imbedded in his chest.

"Nay, Slash," Frog said quietly."Now, thou wilt die."Slash attempted to say something, but the only sound he made was a wordless grunt.He fell to the ground; unlike the previous times they had fought, Slash didn't disappear after this battle.He was truly dead.Frog pulled the Masamune free and held it in front of his face in a kind of salute.

Rat's opponent was a strange lizard-like creature.It was green and wore nothing but a leather loincloth.It had a long, thick tail, like any lizard or…

She suddenly realized that the creature reminded her of a picture she had once seen of a monster called dinosaur, only much smaller."What are you?" she asked.

"Stupid mammal," it answered with a voice like gravel."I'm a reptite."

"Never heard a' ya."

The creature snarled in anger and swiped its claws toward her face.She ducked and jabbed her daggers upward.They raked against its hide, causing no damage at all.Rat cursed and ran in the opposite direction.The reptite laughed and ran after her.

She led it in wild chase around Frog and Slash, up the stairs, back down the stairs and out the open door where she climbed a few feet up the wall.As the reptite exited the building, she jumped on top of it, futilely trying to stab it.Though her daggers were sharp, they were not strong enough to penetrate its hide.The reptite took the beating for several seconds, chuckling the whole time, before it grabbed Rat by the paws and slammed her into the ground.

Rat's breath was knocked from her lungs.The world went black, and she saw stars, but her vision cleared just enough that she saw the reptite's talon sweeping downward.She rolled to the side.The creature howled with pain as its hand encountered nothing except hard stone.It turned toward Rat and growled menacingly.Rat half-stood and shook her head in an attempt to clear her vision.

The reptite charged forward and hit Rat in the stomach, sending her to the ground again and causing her to lose her daggers.She gasped and looked up at its grinning face; for the first time in her life, she feared for her life.She closed her eyes and silently told Lenny she'd see him soon.

When the expected blow didn't come, she opened her eyes again.A black mist engulfed the reptite.Its eyes bulged from its sockets as it gasped for air.Soon, it slumped to the ground and the mist dissipated.Doreen stood behind the creature, a look of supreme sadness in her eyes.

She looked at Rat."Master once told me to kill the reptites who stood against him, though he no longer remembers," she explained."You aren't Master, but it would kill him if you died.And so, millions of years after he charged me, I keep my word.But it hurts me so."Doreen bowed her head and disappeared.

Mariel looked around at the to see that Flea had brought them into the void.The world around her was blue for the most part, and rippled nauseatingly.Although void was not the proper word, it was called that because there was nothing there.The void was where Lavos had called Crono, Frog, and Magus for their battle against its shell.

"Well, Mariel," Flea said."We don't have to do this, you know?Agree to join me, and I'll let you live."

"I would rather French kiss a frog," Mariel replied, belatedly realizing that she wouldn't mind French kissing a certain frog.She pushed that thought aside.

"I'm sure you would," Flea sneered.He raised his hand and shot a beam of light toward Mariel, who used her own magic to block it."I'll give you one last chance," he said."Join us again.You wanted to once."

"You betrayed me, and for what?" Mariel exclaimed."In the hopes that I would never be stronger than you?Well, guess what.All those times you thought I was indulging in laziness, most of those times you thought I was reading some sap love story, I was studying, practicing.You betrayed me; it's time to pay."

Mariel swung her the scythe toward Flea's head, but he disappeared.She looked around wildly, but he was nowhere to be found.

"Come out, come out wherever you are…" she sang softly. Suddenly, the energies in the void surged wildly, and she just managed to shield herself before an explosion engulfed her.It might have killed her if she hadn't gotten her shield up in time."Oh, there you are," she muttered; he had underestimated her, and now she could find him because of his magic attack.

Mariel's hair blew around her as she gathered magic and focused it on a specific point where she knew Flea was hiding.She released it in a surge of raw energy and was rewarded by his cry of pain as he reappeared in front of her."How'd you do that?" he demanded.Mariel's only response was to smirk.

The black wind howled around her now, drawn by the energies of blood and darkness that was known as Shadow magic.Unlike her father, who had only heard the black wind and what it foretold, Mariel could use it.It swirled around her, almost visible, forming an impenetrable, magic-absorbing barrier.

Flea, who couldn't hear or feel the black wind at all, was unaware of this.He made a gesture with his hand and called his magic for the ultimate Fire attack, Flare.The air around Mariel superheated until it combusted; the resulting explosion rocketed outwards.Flea's smirk turned to an open-mouthed gaped as he saw Mariel, standing with her eyes closed as though nothing had happened.When she reopened them, they were glowing just as they had in George.

"You can't touch me," she said, her voice like ice.

Flea staggered backward."Maybe we can make a deal," he said hopefully."I'll serve you faithfully.Anything you want."

"No deal."

"No, please…"

"Oh, don't worry.I won't kill you."

Flea blinked in confusion."You won't?"

Mariel smiled slightly, but there was no warmth in it.Flea gasped and staggered as he suddenly felt his magic being sealed away from him."Oh, no.That would be too good.Never underestimate a woman scorned, Flea."

Mariel teleported back into the world, leaving Flea trapped in the timeless void.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Mariel reappeared just as Frog finished off Slash.Once he noticed her, she asked, "Where's Rat?"

"Right here…" said a weary voice.Rat staggered through the door; she was panting hard from he chase, and her tail and whiskers were drooping."Dang thing nearly got me, but Doreen saved me."

"Doreen saved thee?" Frog asked, just a bit disbelieving.

Rat nodded."She said it'd kill her master if I died, so she saved me.I thought you was her master, Frogger."

"Er…I am." Frog ducked his head in embarrassment.

"Oh, how cute," Mariel exclaimed, reminding them she was there."Glenn's in love with Rat."She laughed as Frog turned his head, but stopped as she remembered something."We should go check on Archy."She motioned Frog and Rat to precede her through the door."Glenn's in love with Rat…" she whispered."But...I've known that since the beginning.They were meant for each other."She wiped away a tear and attempted to put on a brave façade before going after them.

General Archimhan was at his wit's end.Though he had told them the story, the Mystic refused to believe it until they had heard from it Mariel herself.Thus it was that he was overjoyed to see her following behind Frog and Rat."Milady!" he called.

She waved and teleported the remaining distance."What's up, Archy?"

"They will not believe me, Milady," he answered."They wish to hear from you."

She looked out at her troops, most talking amongst themselves, although the ones closest had noticed her arrival and were waiting patiently.She called for silence."My friends," she called, magically amplifying her voice so that everyone could hear her."My friends, we have been duped."

An explosion of noise followed that statement.She raised her hands for silence."Yes, that's right.Slash and Flea were not helping me lead you to victory, but rather to enslavement.They would have seen you chained and whipped, serving the King of Thieves.They are dead.As of now, this war is at an end."

"Izzat true?" Rat muttered.

"Close enough," she whispered back.

"Lady Magus?" someone yelled.

"Yes?"

"What about your father?Were they using him as well?"

"Yes, they were."She allowed this explosion of sound to die out on its own before continuing."You must remember that they found him when he was a child and didn't know any better.I know he used them as well, though, so I'd consider it even."There were nods from the assembled army.

"Listen, although humans were never meant to rule the world, Mystics weren't either.I know for a fact that most of you out there are tired of this constant war and of seeing your friends and comrades killed before your eyes.I have some business to take care of; General Archimhan will lead you until I return."She smiled as the Mystics cried for her not to leave them.

"There is a continent to the east that's completely uninhabited.I want you go there and settle.Learn to be farmers and artisans.Become a race known for its peaceful nature rather than its bloodthirstiness.Live in harmony with the humans, and one day, not to distant from now, they will accept you as friends.Then, we shall live as were meant to."

A cheer erupted from the masses as she stepped back.Frog suddenly understood why the Mystics chose to follow Mariel.It wasn't because she was Magus' daughter.It was because she had such a way with words.It occurred to him that if Mariel wanted to take over the world, all she'd need was her voice.She could have talked a starving crocodile into not eating her, even without her charm spell.

Archimhan caught Mariel as she staggered slightly from her prolonged magic use.As she looked gratefully into his eyes, he saw something he'd been waiting to see since the day they met.

Frog, Rat, and Mariel all agreed not to take an escort with them back to Truce.Although Archimhan argued, saying they might need it, they were determined."It would'na do to sneak into a thief's hideout with twenty-some-odd guys," Rat said."They'd pick us off one by one, and then where'd we be?"

"Besides," Frog went on."They shall see a large party several miles off, but we three can remain unnoticed."

"Oh, very well."Archimhan threw his hands into the air in defeat."But be careful.If anything happens to Milady, I'm holding you both personally responsible."

"Relax, Archy," Mariel said, standing on tiptoe to kiss him on the cheek."I am the great and powerful Mariel.No one can touch me."She grinned impishly.

After a hot meal and night's rest, they left.Although Mariel didn't look back, she was well aware of the Mystics watching her, even long after she was out of their sight."They really love ya, don't they?" Rat remarked.

"Aye, they do," Frog said."I know they feared thy father, yet, as General Archimhan said, they would follow thee to ends of the earth."

Mariel sighed with contentment."I belong there.That's all.Once this is over, I'm going to lead us into a Golden Age.We Mystics will rule the world with our art and literature, not our strength and force of arms.That's what I want."

Frog croaked in amusement."Thou art incorrigible."

"What?" Mariel demanded, laughing."I am destined to rule the world.The only thing under debate is how I'm going to go about doing it."

"What's in…incor…?" Rat started to ask.

"Incorrigible," Mariel finished."It means I don't give up anything."

_You should never give up your dreams,_ Doreen said._They're all you really have.Without them, nothing would exist._

"So poetic…"

"Doreen is quite the dreamer," Frog said.

_Indeed I am.Were it not for dreams, I would not exist.I rather enjoy existing._

Rat, ever observant, interrupted them."Something seem odd about Zenan Bridge?"

"Why, it hath been destroyed!" Frog exclaimed.

"Oh, lovely," Mariel said caustically.She stopped abruptly."Now what?"

_Now, I will help you,_ Doreen said._But only this once.Just keep going.Don't let them realize you know anything's wrong._

"Are they spying on us?"None of them heard actual words, but they all felt her affirmation.They continued walking, all alert for the slightest sound that might give away their enemy's position, but they heard nothing.None of the animals that lived in the area seemed alarmed at the slightest.

As the arrived at the bridge, the area that had been destroyed shimmered slightly.They could just see the ghost of the bridge in place of the real thing._What a delightful trick to play,_ said Doreen, her "voice" brimming with laughter._Go across; it's quite solid.Of course, when the spy tries to get across it won't be…_

Frog was the first to work up the courage to step onto Doreen's dream bridge.When he didn't fall through, Mariel, then Rat, followed him, although the latter shook as though she was in an earthquake.When they reached the other side, she fell to her knees and kissed the ground.

"You don't like magic much, do you?" Mariel remarked idly.

"Makes me nervous," Rat answered, her voice still shaking.Mariel studied her as she composed herself.

_Rather odd…Or maybe not,_ she thought.

Rat swallowed once and said, "A'right, I'm good.Le's go."

Several minutes later, they heard a prolonged yell that ended abruptly in a loud splash.Mariel snickered.

_Told ya,_ Doreen laughed.

The rest of the trip was uneventful, and in no time, they arrived at Truce."We will have no need for guise this time, will we?" Frog asked without much hope.

"What're you complainin' about?" Rat demanded."I'm the one what broke me head."

"No, don't worry," Mariel answered."The King's Ear is right on the edge of town.You can see it right there."She pointed toward a small building that might be better called a shack.

"That's a bar?" Rat asked."Dang, that place looks like it belongs in George!"

Mariel laughed and pulled her hood over her head; she let Frog take the lead and used her magic to make sure they weren't being followed.Rat sniffed the air, but smelled nothing out of place except for an odd scent she'd learned to associate with Mariel's magic.Quietly, they headed for the back door of the King's Ear.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

The King of Thieves scrambled around his office, attempting to collect his things.He had heard a crash as Frog, Rat, and Mariel had broken through the door, and he now trying to get away before they finished off his guards.He had sent Garret on ahead of him the day before, something he was glad he done now.The big man would only have been in the way.

He froze as he heard someone banging on the door."Hey!Open up!" yelled Mariel.The door rattled as she tried to open it."Open the door before I blow it up!"

His Highness pulled open a hidden door in the floor under his desk and jumped down, then disappeared into a portal he had hidden there.

Seconds later, a loud explosion rocked the building.It brought down half of the tavern, but the door refused to budge.Mariel cursed."It's protected somehow."

"Here, let me," Rat said, pulling her lock picks out of her vest."Ya gots to be delicate with this kinna thing."She expertly turned the picks around inside the lock and was rewarded with a satisfying click.The door swung open.Mariel ignored Rat's smug expression as the three of them entered the room.

"It appears that the villain hath escaped," Frog remarked.

Rat wandered around His Highness' desk."Hey, check it out!" she exclaimed."What'd ya s'pose that is?"

"Looks like a dimensional distortion of some sort," Mariel answered as she saw it.

"Huh?"

"Tis a portal, or a gate," Frog clarified."The King of Thieves must have used it to flee."

"Then we gots to follow it."Rat jumped into the hole.

"Wait!" Mariel called, but Rat had already disappeared.She shook her head."And here I thought she didn't like magic.Well, come on, Glenn.We'd better follow her."She jumped through as well.

"Last I saw one of these was in Zeal," Frog muttered."This doth not bode well."

The room on the other side was made of some silver metal that Frog had never seen before.He looked around.Rat was leaning against one wall with a paw over her eyes.Mariel stood nearby, snickering.

"Ain't none a' you said that was magic," Rat accused.

"Well, dear, think," Mariel laughed."It's a portal that takes you to another place.What are the odds it isn't magic?"

"What is this place?" Frog asked rhetorically.

Mariel answered anyway."I don't know, but I do know that unless I'm missing something, there's no door."

"Oh, there isn't," said a voice from out of nowhere."You see, I planned for this eventuality.Of course, I hadn't planned on all three of you, but who cares, right?"He laughed maniacally for several minutes before cutting off the communications.

"That voice…" Frog muttered."It soundeth disturbingly familiar."

Mariel put both hands against one of the walls and closed her eyes."It's magic-resistant," she finally said.

"So what?" Rat squeaked, obviously nervous."We jus' gonna stay here 'til we starve?"

"Nay.We are getting out of here." Frog began exploring the perimeter of the room."There must be a way."

Rat sat curled in a ball in the middle of floor."I don't wanna die here!" she wailed."We're gonna die, and I's never gonna see Gerald or nobody again!"

Mariel slapped her, startling her into silence."We're not going to die here.Now, calm down."

Mariel went back to helping Frog find a way out as Rat continued to sniffle.She would never have admitted it, but she was terrified.Magic didn't just make her nervous; it scared her, and she couldn't understand why.She had a vague memory of pain associated with magic, but she couldn't imagine what could have happened.

Here, thrown by a magic portal into this seamless, metal box where a person's voice came from the walls, she was out of her depth.She longed for the ale-drenched atmosphere of the Broken Knife, and the late night run-ins with the law or the Thieves' Guild.She would've given anything right then to hear the commander of the City Watch yell for her to halt, or for the old widow on 7th Avenue to call her a filthy vermin.Those things she could understand.She jumped as she a light touch on her arm.

"Rat, I understand," Frog whispered."I once feared magic as well.But it is just a tool.Tis nothing more than a strange kind of lock pick."

Rat sniffed and grinned at him."Ah, I ain't scared," she lied."Thanks, frog boy."

Mariel watched them with a slight smile before interrupting them."Hey, I think I know how to get out of here."

"How?!" Rat yelled.She jumped to her feet and rushed over while Frog followed at a more sedate pace.

"Well," Mariel said with an odd smile."This wall.It's so weak, I could probably break it down with my bare hands.It's really very poorly made."

"It is not!" His Highness exclaimed.Mariel grinned; obviously, she'd been expecting this response.

"Well, of course it is," she told him."I mean, listen to this."She tapped the blade of her scythe against the wall so that it made a metallic "tink"."You really think solid walls are supposed to sound like that."She motioned Frog and Rat to keep talking.

"I made that wall myself, you little witch!" His Highness yelled.

"That explains why it's so poorly made, then," Rat said.She watched curiously as Mariel tried to fit her scythe in the crack.

"How dare you?!You're nothing but an overgrown mouse!"

Rat hissed."'Overgrown mouse'?I'll show you 'overgrown mouse', you son of a hairless monkey!"

"Oh, really!Well, I'd like to see you try!"

"Anytime, anywhere!"

As Rat and His Highness continued to hurl insults at each other, Mariel began chanting softly.Frog, the only still paying any attention to her, didn't understand the words, but he recognized the spell from his time with Magus.

Magus had been bored sitting in the End of Time, so he decided it would be amusing to make the floor disappear under Frog's feet.Fortunately, Frog caught him before he finished the spell.

Mariel was casting that spell now.The wall shimmered and disappeared.She ran through as Frog grabbed Rat and followed, close on her heels.The wall returned to normal just as they got through.They were now standing in a large, empty room, facing a hallway.

Mariel leaned against the box they came out of."That was tiring," she breathed.

"I thought ya said it resistant to magic," Rat said.Mariel nodded.

"Resistant.Not impenetrable.I figured it was only resistant to attacks, and that wasn't an attack.But it's a hard spell."She stood."Let's find the King of Thieves, shall we?"

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," said a man as he stepped from the hallway."His Majesty mustn't be disturbed."

"I recognize thee!" Frog exclaimed."Thou wert with…"

"With who?" Mariel asked.

Frog ignored her."Is he here?"

Garret nodded."Of course.After you sent him through his own portal, he ended up in a barren land.One of the golems brought him here, then came after me.I was the only one still loyal to him after you and those girls attacked us.The rest just ran like the foolish cowards they were.But I'm smarter than that.I'll never abandon my King."

Rat nudged Frog to get his attention."Frog, who're ya talkin' about?"

"A very evil, very insane man by the name of Dalton."


	18. Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Eighteen

"Vanish!"

Dalton snapped his mouth shut and blinked uncomprehendingly.Were they telling him to vanish, or…

Realization dawned.He quickly punched a button on the keyboard in front of him and was rewarded with the words "Life signs undetected" flashing across the computer screen.He slammed his hand down on the table.

"Blast it all!Garret had just better finish them off.I can't afford to let them wander around here unchecked."

He dropped his head into his hands.Flea had grossly underestimated Mariel's abilities.The Vanish spell should have been way out of her league.Not even Dalton could cast it.Not even Flea could cast it.The only people he knew of who could cast it were Ozzie and Magus, and even Ozzie had had trouble with it.

He couldn't afford to underestimate her again.She had more power than the royal brat Janus had last time Dalton saw him, that much was obvious.He looked at the computer the golems had brought him from the future.They had brought the original owner with it, but he was feeding the fish now.Dalton decided to monitor her; maybe the computer could tell him exactly how powerful she was.

Garret grinned maliciously, but inside, he was nervous wreck.He knew His Highness would be watching what happened with that odd machine of his.If Garret didn't defeat them now, he would be killed.Or worse, sent to live in the golems' world.Since he couldn't command them like Dalton could, he'd have no way to survive.Their world was devoid of any life.

Not only was he nervous about his fate if he didn't win, but his opponents were making him nervous as well.Frog, he thought he could handle.They'd fought before, and he knew what to expect.But Rat might be a problem.Although he'd never fought her before, she had a reputation for being quick and tireless.He'd heard that she once took out fourteen city guardsmen with her bare paws.In actuality, it had been five very drunk guardsmen, and she'd had her daggers as well as some backup.But although the story was greatly exaggerated, the reports of her skills were not.

Then, there was Mariel.Garret had no idea what to expect from her.She held her scythe loosely, as though she would drop it any second.She turned it just enough that the light glinted along its edge, making it appear even more dangerous than it was.Some part of Garret's mind wondered why she would choose a peasant weapon; the rest of him prepared for a battle he wasn't sure he could win.

Rat drew her daggers and took a battle stance."I c'n handle this loser," she said to her companions."Y'all go on ahead."

Frog blinked."Art thou certain?"

"Yah, I'm sure.I'll catch up to ya."Mariel nodded and ran past Garret, but Frog hung back.He looked at Rat worriedly."G'on," she said, pushing him after Mariel.

"Well, I guess it's just you and me, now," Garret said when they had gone.

"Yah, I guess so," Rat agreed.She lashed her tail and, without further warning, dove for his throat.

"That idiot!" Dalton yelled.He slammed his hand onto the table hard enough to cause the computer to bounce."I don't believe that moron!How could he be so stupid as to let them get away?They're going to ruin everything!"

He quickly typed something into the computer, and the screen changed to a blueprint of his hideout.Six dots flashed slowly, and two were moving.Dalton breathed a sigh of relief to note that they were moving away from his other prison.He left to intercept them and destroy them himself.

He didn't see the light that represented Garret disappear.

Rat moved carefully away from the slain body of Garret.It hadn't been much of a fight.He'd been so surprised by her attack that he hadn't even tried to defend himself.Her dagger had gone straight through his throat up to the hilt.She stopped at what she thought was a suitable, sniffed the air for anyone close by, and proceeded to empty her stomach of everything it contained.

Although she'd been in several fights, some of them quite bloody, that was the first time she'd ever actually killed someone.There had been several times when she almost did, and occasionally, the person died later from blood loss; but she'd never killed anyone herself.

She wiped her mouth off with a rag she always kept on hand and stood shakily."I gots no clue how them soldier types can do that," she muttered quietly as she continued on her way."I ain't never doin' that again.I'll get me own arse kicked a'fore I'll ever do that again.Never, never, never…"

Her litany continued as she walked until she realized she was lost.She sniffed the air, but the only scents she found were her own and the acrid smell of metal.She took a few steps in the direction she had come, intending to follow her own scent back to where she started, but she had only gone a few feet when she smelled something else.

She cocked her head."Perfume?" she muttered."Hm, smells like…lilac.That's the new scent these days.Ever'body what's anybody's wearin' it.It's the Queen's favorite…"

She stopped as a new idea entered her head."The Queen…The Queen!She must be here!"

Rat dashed off in the direction of the scent.If she could find the Queen, Frog would be really happy, and maybe there would be a reward, too.She grinned."Once a thief, always a thief, hey Frogman?" she muttered to the absent knight."Ye can take a nob outta the city, but ya can't take the city outta the nob…"She laughed at her wit.

"Rat should have caught up to us by now," Mariel said."Right?"

"Mayhap the thief is better fighter than he looked," Frog said, although he was worried too.

"Good point…What if she's dead?"Mariel stopped and turned back."Oh, I shouldn't have left her alone…"

"Mariel, wait," Frog said.He stepped in front of her, blocking the path._Doreen?_

_Yes, Glenn?_

_Wilt thou find Rat and aid her?_

Doreen didn't say anything, but she made her distaste at the notion known.

"What are you saying?" Mariel asked.She could tell Frog was talking to Doreen by the way his eyes unfocused.

"I requested that she aid Rat, but she will not respond."

"Doreen, please," Mariel begged."Like you said, it would hurt Glenn if she died."

"I know…"Doreen appeared next to them.She held her head down, her stance the very epitome of discomfort."But…oh…"

"What is it?" Frog asked.

"Glenn…master…I don't like to leave you.What if something happens to you?"

"I am quite capable of taking care of myself, Doreen."

"I know.That's part of the problem.I should have been there."She sighed."I'm going."She disappeared.

"Oh, thank you," Mariel breathed, although she didn't know if Doreen could hear her or not.

"Why art thou so worried?" Frog asked as he resumed walking in their chosen direction.

"Can't I just be worried?"

"It has not happened yet."

Mariel sighed."Well, to make a long story short, when I was small, I had a sister.I didn't like her, so I turned her into a rat and threw her into the sea."

"What?!" Frog stopped short as the impact of what Mariel had just said hit him.

Mariel's looked turned to one of pain, and she might have blurted out the whole story, kept hidden for over fifteen years, if circumstances hadn't intervened.

"What a lovely story!" Dalton said.Both Frog and Mariel whirled to face him, their previous conversation forgotten for the moment.

"Dalton!" Frog yelled."What art thou doing hither?"

"Now, now, little froggy.You have only yourself to blame."He laughed insanely.

Mariel shook her head with disgust."You are absolutely the single, most pathetic man I have ever met.And that's saying quite a bit."

Dalton snapped his mouth shut and turned a bright shade of red."You…you…you'll pay for that!Golem!Go!"

A black portal opened between them and a large creature appeared from its depths.It seemed to be a yellow head with arms and second head on top.It opened its mouth and roared at them.Frog held Masamune ready, but Mariel merely yawned, unimpressed.

"Give me a break," she said in exasperation.She slipped her scythe into its holder on her back and held her hands in front of her face.She muttered quietly as she moved her hands in the magical pattern the spell required, then yelled, "Dark Matter!"

Frog groaned inwardly as the air around the golem grew dark and formed into two triangles, one with a view of star-studded space, and the other an empty greyness.The triangles disappeared, taking the golem with them.Frog blinked in amazement; Dalton gaped openly.

"I haven't seen such a weak monster since that Roly went crazy and tried to kill me," Mariel laughed."In fact, that Roly lasted longer than your golem."

"Why, you….you…" Dalton sputtered, unable to think of a single thing to say.

Frog croaked in amusement."It appears thy minions are as worthless as thyself."

Dalton shook his fist at them and ran in the opposite direction.Frog followed him, but Mariel simply teleported herself into his path.

"Where do you think you're going?" she asked as he slid to a stop and nearly collided with her.

Dalton looked back and forth between her and Frog, then laughed maniacally."You'll both die here in a second," he informed them."Go!Golem Twins!"He teleported out of the way as another portal opened and a two more golems appeared.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

Queen Leene sat in her cell and wallowed in despair.At first, she thought Frog would come for her, as he always had before.But she had been here for weeks with no sign of rescue.Eventually, she gave up hope.At first, she cried, but now, she no longer even did that.She simply sat.

At first, she thought it was her imagination.Two voices seemed to be arguing with one another.Then, she decided it must be Dalton and Garret.Then she heard what they were saying.

"And I's tellin' ya, I don't need yer help."

"Well, Glenn told me to help you, and that's exactly what I'm going to do.I don't like it any more than you do, but there you have it."

"Oh, be quiet.I don't know why ya don't like me so much; I ain't done nothin' to ya."

There was a short pause, then, "It's not that I don't like you.I'm just angry with myself.I should have been there for him, and I wasn't, and look what happened."

Leene licked her lips and stood shakily.Her legs were weak from sitting in one position for a long time, but they held her weight.She walked to the bars and called, "Is someone there?"Her voice was hoarse from crying and disuse, but it was strong enough.

There was a sound like claws scratching against metal, and Rat appeared in field of vision.Leene squealed with fear and jumped back, earning an exasperated sigh from Rat.

"I's yer friend, okay?" she said."No worries, Queenie.I's gonna get ya outta there, okay?"

Leene brought her breathing back under control and crept back up to the bars to watch Rat pick the lock."You know who I am?" she asked.

"Yah, I seen ya a'fore.Name's Rat.I's a friend of Frogger's."

"Frog's here?" Leene exclaimed.She brightened considerably at the knowledge that Frog had, in fact, come for her.

Rat nodded."Yah.I dunno know where, though.We got separated, and then I found you, so I figured I'd free ya and we'd find him together."She looked around, drawing Leene's attention to Doreen."This here's Doreen.She's a friend of Frogger's, too."

Doreen bowed and walked closer."It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness.Sir Frog speaks highly of you."Leene blushed.

The lock clicked and Rat swung the door open."Ya gonna be okay, Yer Highness?" Rat asked, sincerely worried.Leene nodded.

"Yes, I'll be fine.Will you take me to Frog now, please?"

Doreen bowed and gestured for them to follow her."Right this way, Your Highness."

No matter how many golems they killed, Dalton kept summoning them.For every one they managed to destroy, it seemed that two more took its place.Frog had long since given up trying to use the Masamune and was simply casting magic as fast as he could, but he was becoming worn out.He growled angrily."How many of these creatures are there?" he asked rhetorically.

Mariel finished casting Dark Matter again, then answered, "As many as Dalton can summon."She tried to ignore the rising pain in her skull as she cast more magic than she safely could have.She raised her scythe to finish off the golem in front of her, but its companion mimicked her Shadow magic and cast Dark Matter back at her.A flying, grey blur darted between them and knocked her to the ground.Without a target, the spell aborted itself.

"Rat!" Mariel exclaimed."You're okay!"

"Ah, ya can't get rid of me that easily," she teased.She jumped to her feet and launched herself at the nearest golem.

Frog, farther away, saw Leene hanging back at a relatively safe distance from the rout."Frog!" she yelled.

"I shall be but a moment, Your Highness!" he called back.

_Now, I'm back.Don't ask me to leave you again._

He smiled inwardly at Doreen._I would ne'er dream of it._

After what seemed to be an eternity for all involved, the golems' numbers grew fewer and fewer.What remained of them amassed between the allies and Dalton.In front of the army, one final portal opened and a pink golem, larger than the others, appeared.

"Oh, no," Frog breathed.

"What?" asked Mariel, her voice thick with fatigue.She was ready to drop, and remained standing by force of will alone.

"Tis the Golem Boss," he replied."We would ne'er have defeated him if he had not been afraid of heights."

Rather than ask for clarification, Mariel studied the Golem Boss."I…have one last spell," she said."Two, actually."

The Golem Boss began counting down slowly.Dalton laughed with glee and yelled something, but no one paid much attention.

"Glenn, take Rat and Leene and get out of here," Mariel said.

"Mar-" Rat began, but Mariel kept talking.

"Get as far away as possible.If all goes well with my first spell, the second one will take effect.If it doesn't, finish him off for me.Now, go!"

Frog was about to argue, but one glance at Mariel's eyes changed his mind.He realized that she was trying to atone, though for what, he didn't understand.He nodded."Fare thee well, Milady Magus," he said.

"You as well, my noble frog knight.Tell Archy…tell him to name the town Medina, after my sister.I think mom and dad would've liked that."She turned to face the golem army as Frog led Rat and Leene out of the hideout.

_You're serious, aren't you?You really want to do this?Even you won't be able to stand the force._

Mariel didn't answer Doreen; all her concentration was on casting the spell.The Black Wind howled around her and gathered itself into an unstoppable force.Mariel's eyes glowed with stored power.She raised her arms above her head and yelled, "Release!"

The force of the Black Wind was visible even to those who couldn't see it.Dalton stumbled as his golems were destroyed, one by one, and the Black Wind came for him.He was blinded and deafened, but he heard as clear as a bell say snidely, "Where's your crown, now, Your Highness?"Then he knew no more.

The explosion was so great that it completely leveled Truce Canyon, where Dalton's lair was hidden.Rat pulled herself to her feet and looked around.She found Leene first, and ran to help her."You okay, Queenie?" she asked.

"Yes, thank you," Leene answered.Her eyes went wide as she noticed the smoking hole that was once the canyon."How did we escape that?"

"I dunno.Ya see Frogger anywhere?"Rat sniffed the air."I c'n smell him, but he smells weird.I hope he's okay."She followed his scent to a large chunk of rock.

"Oh…" someone groaned.

"Frogger?" Rat called.

"Hither…" he answered.

"Frog, are you well?" Leene asked.

"Nay, I am hallucinating."

Rat and Leene exchanged glances and made their way around the boulder.Leaning against it, staring at his hands, was a man.He wore Frog's armor, although it didn't fit him quite as well.His hair was a bright shade of green, but his eyes were hazel, as Frog's had been.He looked at them, and his expression was one of pleading."What doth thou see?"

Rat cocked her head."Well, ya sounds like Frogger, kinna, and ya smells like Frogger, mostly, but ya looks like human."

He blinked and shook his head, then jumped to his feet and hauled Rat off the ground."I am human again!" he yelled, laughing."Tis Mariel's spell!She has restored my true self."

"Yah, yah, that's all well and good," Rat yelled back."I's really happy fer ya.Now, c'n ya put me down, please?"

Glenn laughed and obliged her.She pretended to dust herself off and sniffed."Human cooties," she muttered just loud enough for him to hear.

Leene's eyebrows creased as though she was trying to remember something."Glenn?" she asked tentatively.

He faced her and bowed his head."Aye, Highness.Tis I.Forgive me for deceiving thee, please."

"Oh, Glenn…"She gathered him into her arms."I always thought you were dead."

"I wanted to tell thee," he said, attempting to hold back tears."I could not."

Leene didn't bother.She hugged Glenn again and cried openly."Don't worry about it," she said."You don't have to talk about it now."

As Glenn and Leene carried on, Rat sniffed and shuffled away, her tail dragging the ground.She looked back once, then dropped to all fours and ran.


	20. Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Rat sniffed the air.The smell of beer and sweat was thick, even for a weekend.She was glad for it, though; it took her mind off things.It was a testament to her acting abilities that Gerald didn't even know anything was wrong.All he could tell was that she seemed to have learned her lesson about stealing at long last, and had thrown herself at her work with a fervor that would have shamed an ant.

It had been several days since she had returned, bedraggled and weary, to collapse on the inn floor at Gerald's feet.She never told him the reason she was so tired was because she hadn't stopped running since she left Truce Canyon.Glenn hadn't come to see her, but she hadn't really expected him to.He was human, now, and handsome besides.He had the favor of the Queen and King, and no doubt had plenty of women to choose from.What would he want with one short, ugly, hairy, kleptomaniac rat?

She began to wish she'd taken Mariel up on her offer.It was too late, now.Rat sniffed again and wished she'd gotten to know her own sister better.

_Mariel stood by a bookshelf, a volume of magic in one hand, and a piece of cheese in the other.Rat entered the room and stood right behind her for several minutes, growing more and more bored until she finally said, "Hey, Mar."_

_Mariel jumped and dropped the cheese, but managed to hang on to the book."Oh, Rat.You startled me."_

_"Yah, I c'n tell.Listen, I was wonderin'.You gots all that power.Can ya…say, turn somethin' into somethin' else?"_

_Mariel blinked."Wh-what do you mean?"_

_"Well, I know I seem pretty off in space sometimes, but I see more'n ya thinks."The tip of her tail swung back and forth unconsciously.Mariel wondered if Rat knew what she had done all those long years ago."Well, I c'n tell it about Frogger; he don't much like bein' a frog.I c'n tell it, ya know?He's…resigned to it.Can ya change him back?"_

_Mariel silently breathed a sigh of relief and answered, "Yes.I think I can.It takes a tremendous amount of power though.It's not something I can cast right now."_

_"But you'll do it when this is all over?"_

_"Of course."_

_"Thanks, sis."Rat started to leave, and Mariel turned back to what she was doing until it dawned on her what Rat had called her.This time, the book did fall to floor.She whirled around._

_"What did you call me?"_

_"Sis," Rat answered, blinking."You's my sis, ain't ya?Ya think I can't smell it?"_

_"You…you…how long…?"_

_"Since we met after Lenny…after he died."Rat stumbled over her words as thoughts of Lenny brought the pain back anew.She fought it down and continued."I figure, if you's a Mystic, then I must be, too.And that's why I's a rat and you's a human.Ya really didn't think you was hidin' it, did ya?"_

_"I…I'm sorry.You're not a rat because you're part Mystic, although you are.You father is Magus, as well.You're a rat because…because when you were born, I didn't understand that babies need more care than five year olds.I thought they loved you more than me, and I hated you for it.You're a rat because…I turned you into one."_

_"Oh," Rat said simply.She shrugged."Okay."_

_Mariel was stunned."That's it?Just 'okay'?You don't hate me for it?"_

_"S'in the past.'Sides, you was jus' a little thing."_

_"I can turn you back too, if you like…"_

_"Nah, I likes being a rat.I wouldn't know how to be human, anyway.But thanks fer the offer."Rat exited, leaving Mariel in a stunned stupor._

The memory brought a tear to her eyes, and she turned to clean some glasses to cover it up.

She ducked below the bar to find a mug for a newcomer demanding ale and nearly cracked her skull when the door opened and the wind blowing through it brought a mostly familiar scent to mingle with the slew of others.She closed her eyes and brought herself back under control before getting the man's ale.When he left, another man took his place.

"What'll ya have, stranger?" Rat asked without turning.She already knew who it was.

"Hast thou forgotten me already?" Glenn asked.

"Don't believe we ever met."She turned to face him and swallowed the cry that threatened to incapacitate her."Ya gonna drink or not?"

"Tis I, Rat," he said."Tis Glenn."He shook his head and corrected himself."Frog."

"I knew a guy named Frog once," she said, turning again."He's dead, now."

"Nay, Rat, I am here.I am still who I was.I only look different."

"Ya talk jus' like him.He always talked weird, too."

Glenn swallowed."I see I was wrong to come hither," he said angrily."I thought thou cared for me for who I was.I imagine I was wrong."He stalked away. Rat noticed with part of her mind that he moved awkwardly, as though he wasn't used to being human.She managed to stand strong until he disappeared through the door, but she couldn't take it anymore.She jumped over the bar and dashed between people's feet and out below the door to the bar.

"Frogger, wait!" she yelled.He stopped, but didn't turn around."I's sorry, I really is, and I thought you didn't like me no more since you was human and all and…"She fell to the ground and buried her face in her paws, sobbing uncontrollably as four days of pent up emotion made itself known.

Glenn quickly closed the distance between them and pulled her to him."I should have come to thee sooner.Tis mine own fault, Medina.Forgive me."

Rat sniffed."What'd ya call me?"

Glenn looked uncomfortable."Medina…"

"Don't call me that.It sounds stupid."

Glenn smiled and laughed softly, although it still sounded like he was croaking."As thou wish, Lady Rat."

"Don't call me that neither."

"Then what shall I call thee?"

"Just Rat.Ain't got no fancy 'cept 'Stop, thief.'"She licked him on the cheek in her approximation of a kiss, then blushed.

Glenn smiled and pulled something from the pouch he carried on his waste."Rat, I would ask thee for thy hand, but thou hath only a paw, so…"He took her paw in his hand and slipped a small diamond ring over one of her fingers."Wilt thou have me?"

Rat blinked, then grinned impishly and studied the ring."Well, I dunno know.I mean, how ya expectin' to take care of me when ya c'n only afford a two karat diamond?I's a pretty expensive gal, ya know?"

"Rat…" he groaned plaintively.

She licked him on the nose and said, "Yah, I does."

Several weeks later brought the biggest event since Glenn was officially made a knight, as well as the biggest snowstorm since Magus began leading the Mystic army.Rat flat out refused to wear white.

"How ya expect to see me when ya can't tell me from the blizzard?" she yelled."'Sides, I look stupid in white.What're people gonna say?A giant brown and grey rat wearin' white!I don't even wear this that well!Hey!What're ya doin' with those scissors?Hey, you better get those away from me!I ain't kiddin' with ya!"

The maids that Leene had directed to tend to Rat simply ignored her protests and went on about their business.

Glenn, standing outside the door waiting for her, had fared no better.He laughed to hear much the same things he himself had said intermingled with squeaks and street slang.

"Sir Glenn!" called a messenger."I was sent to retrieve you, and their Majesties wish to know if Lady Medina is ready yet."

Glenn shook his head."Nay, she is still within."An especially loud squeal caused the boy to jump.

"I telled ya!Didn't I tell ya?Get them scissors away from me paws!I don't care if ya gots to cut that thread!Go away, and I will bite it off!I-"There was a pause here, then, "I don't care if it'll look ratty!I's a rat, ain't I?"

Glenn rolled his eyes and laughed, then followed the boy back to the auditorium of the former Mystic cathedral, which was packed with people.Some of them truly wished to see the great hero Glenn finally settle down with the woman he loved.Others knew that the Lady Medina was a rat, and were only here to watch the spectacle.Still eight others watched from a box that had been set aside just for them because of the role they had played in bringing about the downfall of the King of Thieves.These eight both knew about Lady Medina, and wished her Glenn the best.Most of the people standing under the box were rather nervous about having eight large rats above their heads.

Several minutes went by during which Scarface fell off the balcony and onto a lady's head.The resulting cacophony was enough of a comedy as the bored patrons could have wanted right then.It was several more minutes before she stopped fluttering her hands uselessly and squealing about the demon on her head.A search for Scarface found his tail disappearing onto the balcony rail from a curtain that hung nearby.

Finally, the wedding train entered, and the processional began to play.And it played.People looked around at each other, wondering if the bride had gotten cold feet.Glenn rolled his eyes and shook his head.

Finally, Rat, running on all fours, skidded to a halt in front of the door and stood.She brushed off her white wedding dress and entered with Gerald.He walked proudly in the suit his father had worn at his wedding.He sniffled as he gave Rat to Glenn and sat down.

The wedding went by without a hitch.

Doreen watched with mingled pride, joy, and jealousy.This was the second time Master had taken a bride, and while Doreen was happy to see him happy, she was jealous of Rat._You have Master's love more than I, now.But you were made for him.I suppose I'll have to share from now on.Ah, well.At least I can mourn my sorrows to ears that can't turn me away._

_Ah, come on, Doreen!_ exclaimed Mune._Give us a break._

Masa added, _Yeah!We never did anything to you!_

_Ha ha ha!Sorry, boys.I'm not that nice._

One last spectator watched with joy and jealously.She watched through the dark mist that surrounded this place called the End of Time.Doreen had brought her here after she had released all her magic and life in one wave of raw power.An old man named Gasper had cared for her.

She smiled as her sister and new brother-in-law sealed their love with a kiss."You deserve it," she whispered.She wiped away a tear and let the image vanish.

"Ahem, just what are you lollygagging around for."

"I was watching my sister get married, Spekkio," she answered.

Spekkio pretended to gasp with alarm."And that's more important than studying?"

Mariel groaned."Come on, Spekkio!I've been studying since I got here.I need a break."

Gasper chose this moment to interject his own two cents worth."No, you were asleep for most of the time, and eating sometimes.Really, you haven't studied all that much.You're just not used to a little hard work."

"I think things were better under Flea…" Mariel muttered.

"Be careful what you wish you for," Spekkio said slyly.He knew she had wanted someone who would teach her true magic like her father had once wielded because he and Gasper had been watching her.

She shook her head."Fine. It's not like there's anything else to do here."She grudgingly followed Spekkio back to his room, but secretly, she was happier than she had ever been.She recalled something she had told Glenn."One of these days, I'll know it all. What started it all. How it all ended. Everything."

_And I have that from here, _she thought._I can see it all._

If Spekkio wondered why she smiled as he drilled her relentlessly, he didn't ask.


End file.
